Jamie Carragher gives verdict on Darwin Nunez’s display against West Ham United

Add as preferred source on Google

Jamie Carragher has given his take on another goal-less display from Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez.

Nunez failed to find the net against West Ham United last night. Despite the goals flying in for Liverpool, the 24-year-old wasn’t among them.

As a result, it is now 11 games since Darwin last found the net for the Reds. Criticism has inevitably come his way for that barren spell. But commentating on Sky Sports last night, Carragher insisted that Nunez was good against West Ham, despite another blank.

However, the Liverpool legend also thought that by keeping him on for 90 minutes, Jurgen Klopp was signalling that the Uruguayan won’t be starting Saturday’s big game against Arsenal.

“Just interesting with the game against Arsenal in mind, Nunez has stayed on and Gakpo was the one taken off,” Carragher observed.

“It might be that man to miss out, but I actually think he has done really well tonight.”

Nunez makes positive step

As a striker, not scoring for 11 games is not good enough from Nunez. You could see just how desperate he is to correct that last night. Whatever he tried though, it just wouldn’t go in.

However, Carragher is right to point out a more general contribution from the former Benfica man.

There had been rumours prior to the game that Klopp was thinking about playing Nunez from the left instead of centrally. In the end, that’s exactly what happened.

Cody Gakpo was the man to take Darwin’s place in the centre of the Liverpool attack.

Although he’d still be expected to be a goal threat from wide, this shift in position does change – or should change – expectation for Nunez.

And in fairness to the Uruguay international, he couldn’t really have done much more against West Ham.

Not only did he hassle and harry the Hammers defenders all night, but Nunez also looked like a creative spark, too. It was his lovely, slided ball through to Curtis Jones that set up Liverpool’s crucial second goal of the night.

That was one of four chances created by Liverpool’s No.9, while he also won four out of five tackles and sent two out of three shots on target. He can do better for sure, but this was a step in the right direction for Darwin. Now we just need a goal!