Steve McManaman claims 24-year-old Liverpool player has to change the way he plays

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Steve McManaman has suggested that Darwin Nunez needs to change his game if he’s to make it at Liverpool.

Nunez has been in the spotlight of late, with the Uruguayan having recently gone 12 games without a goal for the Reds. Happily, that barren run ended last night with a lovely goal to open the scoring against Burnley.

But speaking prior to the game for Amazon Prime Video Sport, McManaman claimed that Nunez should aim to become more like countryman and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.

“Nunez has been here 18 months. Yes, he works hard, he’s energetic, we know that. But he is slightly chaotic,” said the pundit.

“People compare him to Luis Suarez up here [in the head], but Luis Suarez was ice cold. Very cool. very calm. Sooner or later Darwin has to start changing and becoming more of an out-and-out goal scorer.”

McManaman urges Nunez re-think

We’re not sure we really agree with Macca on this one. Although there are parallels between the two – and they get on well – it’s obvious that Suarez and Nunez are nothing alike. And that’s fine.

It’s also perhaps slightly off the mark to suggest that Liverpool’s former No.7 was a clinical finisher, too.

Early on in his Reds career especially, Suarez was not prolific at all. In his first 18 months at the club, the Uruguay icon scored 21 goals in 52 games. Not bad going, but hardly setting the world alight.

His strike last night means that Darwin now has 23 Liverpool goals in 69 games. A worse record no doubt, but not by loads.

We’d love the 24-year-old to score more, every Reds supporter would. But as long as he’s contributing in other ways too, there is still plenty of value in having Nunez around.

Just now, you can’t rule out that the former Benfica man will become a prolific goal scorer. He’s shown in the past that he can score plenty and if he just works on his finishing he’ll improve his numbers pretty quickly.

But as well as his five Premier League goals this season, Nunez also has five assists. In terms of goal contributions, he’s in the top ten for the whole division.

As a result, there’s no need to panic or do anything drastic in terms of Darwin. Hopefully his goal last night can open the floodgates once again and see the Suarez comparisons return.

But even if it doesn’t, Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool coaches are clearly happy with what Nunez is offering. He’s about more than just goals. A few minor tweaks may be needed, but there’s no use trying to get Darwin to be a player he simply isn’t.