"I’d never take him off, especially at Anfield" - Ian Wright believes Jurgen Klopp got one Liverpool substitution wrong against Man City
Arsenal legend Ian Wright recently claimed that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made the wrong call by taking Darwin Nunez off in the 76th minute against Manchester City. The Reds settled for a 1-1 draw at Anfield against Pep Guardiola's side which saw them slip down to second spot in the table behind Arsenal, albeit by goal difference.
Nunez was as usually lively for as long as he was on the pitch and also won the penalty from which Liverpool equalized the game. The Uruguayan was replaced by Cody Gakpo who failed to make an impression in the final quarter of the game.
Ian Wright claimed that Jurgen Klopp would have been wise to keep Nunez on as he provided the Reds a completely different approach. The Arsenal legend said on Sky Sports Monday Night Football, as quoted by Rousing The Kop:
“With Nunez, I’d never take him off, especially at Anfield. I would just tighten him up in those situations. I’d let him watch those videos and say ‘look at this,’ Look what he can do. Speak to Harvey Elliott and say ‘when you get that ball, you don’t even need to look. Just put it over there."
Darwin Nunez has divided opinion since his £85 million switch to Liverpool from Benfica in the summer of 2022. While the Uruguay international has become a fan favorite because of his relentless energy up front, his finishing has come under scrutiny.
Nunez has improved drastically this season upon his decent first term at the Merseyside club. The 24-year-old has contributed with 16 goals and 12 assists in 40 games across competitions this season.
Micah Richards hails Liverpool midfielder for his performance against Manchester City
Former England defender Micah Richards has lauded Wataru Endo following his spectacular performance for Liverpool in their 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday, March 10. The Reds' recruitment policy came under question when they snapped up relatively unknown Endo last summer after missing out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea.
However, the £16 million transfer fee for the Japan international now looks like a bargain with how he has fared under Jurgen Klopp. The 31-year-old has been exceptional in holding midfield and has admirably filled the void of left by Fabinho's departure.
Micah Richards hailed Endo following his stellar display against Manchester City in the 1-1 draw. The former Manchester City right-back said:
“Endo in midfield. Wow. When he came to Liverpool I was thinking ‘Ok, good experienced player’. But I didn’t think he could get to the levels of that in terms of the intensity of the game."
Richards added:
“I know the Bundesliga is back and forth but I thought he was outstanding in the middle of the park yesterday, he really was.”
Endo has so far made 32 appearances for the Reds, scoring thrice and providing one assist this season. He has particularly caught the eye with his ability to win the ball and spray simple short passes to his teammates.