Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders weighs in on "unfair" Darwin Nunez assessment

19 December 2023 , 16:04

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Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders weighs in on "unfair" Darwin Nunez assessment

Darwin Nunez has been backed by Pep Lijnders, with the Liverpool No.2 claiming the fans love him because he is "full of fire."

Nunez has not scored in 10 games for Liverpool and his last club goal was at Bournemouth in the previous round of the Carabao Cup. Lijnders is not worried by the Uruguay striker’s lean patch and says he is still contributing to the team.

“Darwin is full of desire,” said Lijnders ahead of tonight’s clash with West Ham at Anfield. “You see that in each game and if we only judged players on goals, that would be so unfair because it’s always about the collective. That always makes the difference, not individuals.

“I feel there’s a good connection between Mo [Salah] and Darwin, for example, the way they see each other and assist each other. Often this guy is full of fire and that’s what our stadium likes, this is what we need as well. To lead the line in this way, he can only become better.

“I feel above everything that Darwin is playing much better season than last year, the way he defends for the team, the way he controls the centre, puts pressure on, the way he holds and chases back, his counter press. He helps us a lot when we’re deep and we can play to him as a reference. He does that much better.

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“For a long time, we played with a false nine where the extra player came deep. Now Darwin is always in the last line, sometimes too high, but he is learning.”

The forward has struggled for goals this term (PA)

Liverpool spent a club-record fee to land Nunez's signature last summer but he's been unable to consistently deliver at Anfield. Klopp is also not short of attacking talent meaning the Uruguayan's starting berth is by no means a guarantee. The German though has continued to defend and back his player.

He said: "But he is right, Darwin is like that. The big difference between Darwin last year and this year is that he is completely settled. The weekend (against Fulham) was a good example, one chance could have done better and the other he is doing everything right and it's about an inch - Trent's (Tlexander-Arnold) ball crossbar, hits (Bernd) Leno and goes in - his ball, crossbar and out, so where is the difference?"

David Anderson