‘I’m still not sure’… Shay Given is still having major doubts about 24-year-old Liverpool player

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Liverpool have once again been rocked by some fresh Mohamed Salah injury news.

With Salah already due back on Merseyside after picking up an injury at AFCON last week, it has now been confirmed by Liverpool that the issue is ‘worse than first feared’. The Egyptian could now miss up to four weeks of action.

Salah’s absence is likely to increase the pressure on his fellow Reds forwards to get more goals. Thankfully, they’re already stepping up in that regard.

Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota both hit a brace on Sunday as Liverpool downed Bournemouth. The two look good together. But speaking on The Kelly & Wrighty Show yesterday, pundit Shay Given has claimed that one of those two players is convincing him far more than the other.

“Jota started as a 9, Klopp made the change at half-time put him out on the right and that made a big difference,” says the former Newcastle United goalkeeper. “I’m still not sure about Nunez, I know he scored two yesterday [Sunday] and he’s got good figures but I still think he’s not a natural goal-scorer if that makes sense.

“But you look at his partner Jota, he looks the most natural goal scorer maybe in the league everything he seems to touch turns to gold. He’s a brilliant striker and very natural finisher.”

Given still unsure over Nunez

Given won’t be the only one still musing over Nunez’s suitability. And to be honest, that’s fair enough.

At this point, the 24-year-old doesn’t have too many left to win over at Liverpool – Jurgen Klopp included. He perhaps still misses a few too many chances, but Darwin has been so effective this season.

His two goals on Sunday were long overdue. But the hope will now be that the Uruguayan can go on a bit of a run.

After scoring just once in his previous 16 games, it’s about time Nunez had a consistent streak of goal-scoring. He just needs a bit of luck.

Without Salah to pick up the slack, Liverpool’s No.9 can’t afford to be missing guilt-edged chances anymore.

If he can offer up a couple of displays in-front of goal like the one this weekend, Nunez will soon have turned the likes of Given.

Indeed, the criticism of the former Benfica man has always been his output. No one can argue with what Nunez gives you during games. There aren’t many forwards who are as relentless as him. He’ll miss a few chances, but half of them he’s created out of nothing and nowhere.

But having now become the first Premier League player to hit 10 plus goals and assists across all competitions this season, those output questions should quieten.

Bang in another handful while Salah is missing, and Nunez will truly have turned doubters to believers. It’s coming.