Jurgen Klopp should not have substituted Darwin Nunez for Liverpool against Bournemouth today.
That’s the view of former England international Jermaine Jenas. Nunez was hooked after 66 minutes of Liverpool’s 1-0 loss, having failed to properly get into the game.
But on commentary duty for BT Sport this afternoon, Jenas claimed that Klopp had actually taken off his most threatening player.
“I’m still not sure about that Nunez decision to bring him off,” queried the pundit. “I felt like he was a threat, one who wanted to run in behind. Yes he wasn’t having his best of games, but he seemed the most likely I felt.”
The arrival of Roberto Firmino didn’t have the desired effect. Liverpool were just as blunt with their outgoing No.9 on the pitch.
Not Darwin’s day at the Vitality
As much as we love Darwin, we’d have to disagree with Jenas here. The Uruguayan was below-par and was probably deserving of his substitution.
Yes, none of his other forwards looked like getting a goal either. But Cody Gakpo was a lot more involved through the middle and Salah is Salah.
Then again, you do get the feeling that it’s always worth keeping Nunez on. He has the ability to unsettle defences whatever the scoreline and can at times create something from nothing. Regardless of that though, today was not his day.
The tone was set early on as he overran a couple of balls and gave away some needless free-kicks. You can’t question the 23-year-old’s desire and he himself looked angry at coming off. But sometimes, it just isn’t happening for you.
Klopp also likely had one eye on Wednesday’s meeting with Real Madrid. Darwin has had his fitness issues recently and the manager will need him at his sharpest in Madrid.
If Liverpool are to have any hope of overturning the three goal deficit against Real though, their No.27 will have to be in much better form than he was today.