ESPN pundit suggests Liverpool player is ‘not happy’ after 2-0 Ipswich win

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Liverpool kicked off their new Premier League season with a routine 2-0 win against newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

Despite some tense moments from the hosts, Liverpool showed why they’re a potential underdog contender for the Premier League title by picking up all three points at Portman Road thanks to Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah.

With Alan Shearer praising Trent Alexander-Arnold, it was a good day at the office for a number of Liverpool players, many of who only just returned to the squad having gone far with their national teams at the Copa America and Euros.

And Steve Nicol now thinks one such player now looks unhappy at Liverpool.

Darwin Nunez not in a good spot after Liverpool’s win vs Ipswich

Speaking on ESPN FC, the pundit theorised that Darwin Nunez might be frustrated with starting Liverpool’s away trip to Ipswich on the bench with the striker an unused substitute for Arne Slot on the day.

With Peter Crouch making a similar observation on Nunez, the Uruguay international not coming off the bench has seemingly caused quite the storm with some pundits, and Nicol thinks the attacker could be unhappy with his treatment at Liverpool.

READ MORE: Everything to know on Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez from his wife to net worth

Nicol said when asked about Nunez’s mentality after Liverpool’s win against Ipswich: “Not good for Darwin Nunez, not good that Jota scores. If you are Darwin Nunez, you are wondering how do you get a start.

“If Jota keeps scoring goals and Darwin Nunez will not start, it’s beginning to feel like he’s not happy sitting on the bench. It’s sort of a carry-on from last year where he pretty much disappeared from the team, and it kind of smells a little bit like that.”

Reaction to Nunez no-show has been completely overblown

Nunez not getting any minutes against Ipswich is hardly a surprise given the context of the game, with Liverpool going 2-0 up against the Tractor Boys just past the hour mark and facing pressure from the hosts in the final third of the game.

And for Slot to not turn to Nunez and instead bring on the likes of Conor Bradley and Kostas Tsimikas is an understandable move, with Cody Gakpo being brought on for Jota also a smart play given how much the Dutchman tracks back compared to Nunez.

Indeed, Nunez’s time will come for Liverpool this season, with the campaign only one game old, and the Uruguay international will be given a chance by Slot to show what he can do in what will be a huge year for the former Benfica star.