Liverpool assistant manager claims it's 'unfair' to judge 24-year-old star on goals alone amid poor recent form
Liverpool's assistant coach Pep Lijnders has come out in strong support of the Reds' 24-year-old striker Darwin Nunez. This follows the Uruguayan striker's recent struggles to find the back of the net.
Since his last goal in early November, Nunez's dry spell in front of the goal has extended to 10 matches. However, Lijnders has emphasized the player's enhanced performance compared to the previous season, showing support for him.
Speaking ahead of Liverpool's critical Carabao Cup quarter-final showdown against West Ham, Lijnders shared his thoughts on the Uruguayan striker. He said (via GOAL):
"Darwin is full of desire. You see that in each game, and if we would only judge players on the goals, that would be so unfair. I feel that there is a good connection between Mo [Salah] and Darwin, for example – the way they see each other, they assist each other."
Lijnders continued:
"And I feel above everything that Darwin is playing a much better season than last year – the way how he defends for the team, the way how he controls the centre and, at the same time, puts the press on, the way he goes, the way how he chases back."
The busy holiday season will present multiple chances for Darwin Nunez to overcome his scoring drought. This begins with Liverpool's encounter with West Ham at Anfield in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Following this, the Reds will face Arsenal at home, before an away match against Burnley on Boxing Day.
Liverpool prepare to face West Ham following draw vs. Manchester United in PL
Anfield will be the stage for the concluding quarter-final match of the EFL Cup, where they face West Ham on Wednesday night. Jurgen Klopp's team beat Bournemouth and Leicester City, while the Hammers delivered a shock to Arsenal and edged past Lincoln City.
Though the Reds celebrated a record-breaking crowd at Anfield during their last Premier League face-off with Manchester United, the match ended in a frustrating draw.
Despite bombarding Andre Onana with 34 shots, Liverpool couldn't convert. This marked the first time they failed to score with so many attempts in a Premier League match.
With this setback behind them, the Reds are currently second in the Premier League standings, and are set to focus on the EFL Cup. They aim to inch closer to a record 10th title, having last won the cup in 2022.