Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez is an ‘exceptional’ finisher.
Nunez scored a brilliant header last night as Liverpool beat West Ham United 1-0 at Anfield. And speaking to Amazon Prime after the game, Klopp praised the 23-year-old.
“You could see with the other movements in behind, the half volley with the left-foot, great saves from Fabianski,” said the Reds boss. “He’s an exceptional talent, his runs, his talents, his finishing skills are absolutely exceptional.”
Despite his lively performance, Klopp chose to take Nunez off with around half an hour still to play at Anfield. Explaining the decision, the German coach said the player just felt his hamstring a little bit.
“He’s young and he felt a little bit of hamstrings at times, worrying, and all these kinds of things so you have to make early changes and we can do that,” Klopp explained.
Nunez brings the calm and the chaos all in one go
There’s something truly exciting about the way Darwin Nunez plays football. If you’re looking for a clean and polished forward, then your eyes are on the wrong man.
But if you’re keen for a bit of chaos on the pitch, then he’s right up your alley.
Everything is done at such speed; everything is done purely from instinct. The Uruguayan is a street player if ever there was one and the Liverpool fans are going to love him for it.
Amidst all the untidiness though, Nunez can’t half strike a ball. The two goals he almost added to his lovely header in the first half last night were testament to that.
Firstly, he ran onto a lofted ball over the top from Thiago Alcantara. Now, most Liverpool forwards of the past half-decade would have brought that ball down and headed all guns blazing towards the goal.
Not Nunez, though. Watching the ball drop, you were praying for him not to hit it first time on his wrong foot. But this is Nunez, of course that’s what he did. Fizzing the dipping shot goalward, it took fingertips from Fabianski to keep it out.
Then, collecting a ball on his chest, he rifled another left-footed drive back off the post from the edge of the area. Two beautifully clean efforts which, put together with his header, would have made an almighty hat-trick.
Liverpool fans are learning to expect the unexpected with their new No.27. One thing they can count on though, is that he’ll find the net plenty more times this season.
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