"I am not worried for him" - Ian Wright backs Liverpool star to get better and explode next season
Arsenal legend Ian Wright believes Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez will enjoy a much better campaign in the 2023-24 season.
The Reds signed Nunez from SL Benfica for a club-record £85 million last summer. He has split opinion in his debut season, with fans praising his movement and pace, but criticizing his profligacy in the final third.
However, Wright believes the Uruguayan will be much better at converting his chances in his second campaign with Liverpool. The former Arsenal striker said on the BBC One's "Match of the Day" program when asked if Nunez will be better next season (as quoted by HITC):
“Absolutely, especially when you see the chances that he is getting, the chances he is missing.
“Next season he will liven himself up, get more intense in respects of his goalscoring, and then he will finish those. I am not worried for him.”
Wright concluded:
“Unbelievable numbers.”
Nunez, 23, has played 42 times across competitions for Liverpool this season and has registered 15 goals and four assists. Nine of those goals have come in 29 Premier League appearances from an expected goals (xG) figure of 12.16. He has missed 20 big chances and has a shot-to-goal conversion rate of just 11%.
However, his numbers in the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, a competition in which he scored six times for Benfica last season, are much better. In eight matches in the competition this term, Nunez scored four goals from an xG of 5.00 and missed just three big chances, boasting a conversion rate of 18%.
Jamie Carragher criticizes Darwin Nunez for miss against Liverpool
Ian Wright's comments on Darwin Nunez came after Liverpool's 1-0 win over Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, May 6.
Nunez, who made just his 19th league start, played 65 minutes before being replaced by Luis Diaz. He had just 18 touches in that time, completing nine of his 11 passes and recording a key pass.
However,the Uruguayan also missed a big chance after being put through by Trent Alexander-Arnold. This in turn prompted criticism from Reds legend Jamie Carragher, who was on commentary duty for Sky Sports. Carragher said (as quoted by TBR Football):
“It’s an unbelievable pass. You have to score that. He has fluffed far too many chances in his first season at Liverpool. And that’s why he’s not been getting regular starts. It happens too many times.”
'Too many times': Jamie Carragher slams Liverpool 23-year-old for what he did int he first-half v Brentford today dlvr.it/SndVTT
Nunez has now scored just once in his last 10 Premier League matches and will hope to get out of his recent rut when his side take on Leicester City on May 15.