The Kelly Criterion: What do Liverpool do with Darwin Núñez?
Taking time to sit with Darwin Núñez’s performance against Luton on Sunday, I found myself thinking about an increasingly memeable tweet from 2016.
Originally posted by the regularly mocked sports business reporter Darren Rovell during the US Presidential Election, I believe the meme applies to the Liverpool number nine, too.
“I feel bad for our country. But this is tremendous content.”
Now, I’m not quite sure how bad I feel for Núñez, but he is undoubtedly tremendous content, and I'll strongly disagree with anyone that suggests otherwise.
Liverpool's agent of chaos created just that in the 1-1 draw with Luton, starting for just the fifth time in the Premier League this season.
Núñez attempted six shots inside the opening 35 minutes at Kenilworth Road, ending the game with nine shots, the joint-most attempted in a league game this season (Erling Haaland vs West Ham, Marcus Rashford vs Brighton), and failing to score.
It was a 70th-minute attempt from the Uruguayan striker that will stick in the memory, however, an all too familiar big chance missed for a player that consistently gets into good scoring positions, raising questions as to whether Núñez can start for a Liverpool team with title aspirations.
Núñez's unpredictability, especially in front of goal, is enthralling for the neutral, but fairly intolerable for Jürgen Klopp's side.
It's no wonder the Reds boss is hesitant to hand him a regular starting role being it's the kind of unwanted volatility the German suffered with from a defensive perspective last season.
Sunday's display is evidence enough.
Núñez's finishing funk
Reputations can often be forged in televised fixtures, but Núñez's poor finishing is a well-known issue, most notably in non-instinctive circumstances.
Despite playing minutes equivalent to just half a season in the league in 2022/23, only two players (Haaland and Rashford) missed more 'big chances' than Núñez's 20. He's hot on the heels of Haaland and Ollie Watkins (both 11) in the same metric this term, too, squandering 10 — again, in fewer minutes.
Indeed, Núñez scored nine goals from 12.1 expected goals (xG) in the Premier League last season and is already underperforming on the underlying numbers in 2023/24.
Perhaps his goal against Bournemouth last midweek is a good example of his unpredictability, ridiculed for a poor touch before curling the ball in from a very difficult position.
Juxtaposed against Sunday's effort at Luton, you can see how frustrated one could get.
Klopp will undoubtedly be frustrated, despite deservedly lavishing praise on Núñez before the Luton game.
It's not that anything Klopp praises Núñez for isn't true, he is a menace with incredible production whenever he is on the pitch, but it is the inconsistencies in front of goal that will cost Liverpool dearly, with Manchester City able to rely on Haaland.
The problem for Nunez in regard to staying in the starting eleven? Liverpool have more than enough firepower to create chances whether he plays or not. Capable of misses like the one against Luton on Sunday, his minutes are likely to decrease rather than increase.
Personally, I hope it's the latter — if not for the entertainment alone.
For now, let's enjoy the tremendous content, before we feel increasingly bad for Núñez the longer his finishing woes continue.
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