Darwin Nunez injured: Liverpool’s record without their ‘outstanding’ striker

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Darwin Nunez is reportedly injured and will miss Liverpool against Brighton this weekend. Here’s the Reds’ record without their striker.

Paul Joyce of The Times reports that Darwin Nunez has an ‘unspecified’ injury and will miss time. Liverpool face Brighton this weekend but the Uruguayan is no longer expected to play.

So what does that mean? Well, it means Jurgen Klopp has some work to do with so many missing forwards. Simply building a competitive XI will be difficult, and we think Cody Gakpo could play up top.

But it’s not the first time he’s had to play without Nunez this season. The Uruguayan has missed games before, while Klopp hasn’t always started him, either.

So here’s what that record looks like.

Darwin Nunez injured

Results in games Nunez missed (W2 D0 L2:

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 9-0 Bournemouth
Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Liverpool

Results in games Nunez didn’t start (W4 D2 L1):

Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City (scored from the bench)
Fulham 3-3 Liverpool (scored from the bench)
Napoli 4-1 Liverpool
Liverpool 2-1 Ajax
Liverpool 3-3 Brighton
Liverpool 1-0 Manchester City
Liverpool 2-0 Napoli (scored from the bench)

So that’s two big wins and two big defeats in games Nunez completely missed. The record with him coming off the bench is a little bit better – but still not great.

As for his record starting for Liverpool: W8 D2 L3

That’s unquestionably better, even if it’s far from perfect. Liverpool are playing better with him in the team and getting some decent results. There’s a reason, after all, that the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold call him ‘outstanding’.

The forward, on a reported £140k-a-week per Capology, must hurry back then. We don’t think Nunez is even playing close to his best football yet, and he’s still making a difference. With more games, he’ll improve rapidly.

Now Liverpool just need him fit again.