Liverpool’s press may have faltered this season, but a new Jürgen Klopp playmaker could be emerging, justifying a massive transfer call in the process.
It’s been a memorable first half-season for Darwin Núñez in English football, for better and for worse.
Núñez was Liverpool’s big summer signing in 2022, signed partly off the back of two impressive performances against Liverpool for Benfica in the Champions League. He arrived with Jürgen Klopp’s side having paid a big fee — $79m (£64m/€75m) up front — and with a big fee comes big expectations.
Of course, we all know his opening few games didn’t go according to plan; he got sent off against Crystal Palace and was guilty of missing some routine chances. Yet the one word that has summed up Núñez’s experience in English football up to this point is ‘chaos’.
Núñez is almost unique within the Premier League in this way. There aren’t many strikers like him, who just seemingly roam where they like and cause devastation in the process. He isn’t exactly scoring goals by the bucket load, but he is causing trouble to opposing defenders, and that’s a good thing. The goals will come eventually (something Jürgen Klopp even alluded to), and what’s important now is getting into the right positions and being a team player.
But what about the idea of Núñez being a playmaker? Not necessarily in the sense of being repositioned as a number 10 like Roberto Firmino, but more through his mere presence in Liverpool’s attack, creating space and chances for others.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Analyzing Anfield Podcast, Mo Stewart believes this is something we could see more of in the future. “Núñez is a law unto himself and, the effect that has on opponents, is going to cause enough chaos. That’s going to create its own chances.”
“In the same way that we used to say that the press was the playmaker, well, he’s just a grenade, and that’s also becoming just a little bit of a playmaker. Once the dust settles we can maybe pick our way through the remains.”
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Stewart does make a particularly interesting point. Núñez’s sheer force of will, and willingness to run all over the final third, can in essence be a playmaker for Liverpool. Create enough chaos and it will open up time and space for others to run into, and we’ve already seen that this season. That effect can be felt even before the Uruguayan starts finding the back of the net for himself.
If Núñez can match his work rate with goals, and ability to create that chaos, then Liverpool will have one brilliant striker for the next several years.
