View: Liverpool ace in now-or-never territory after Slot injury update
Darwin Nunez has a golden opportunity at Liverpool he can’t afford to miss as Diogo Jota faces a potential injury layoff.
The 25-year-old replaced his Reds teammates after 30 minutes in the 2-1 win against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday [20 October].
Arne Slot has since revealed he expects the Portuguese forward to be absent for the Champions League trip to RB Leipzig.
Nunez must have a breakout year at Anfield after massively underwhelming since his club record £85m move from Benfica in 2022.
It could be now or never for the forward to prove he deserves to remain on Merseyside beyond the current season.
Darwin Nunez needs to fight to save his Liverpool career
The Reds have arguably been without an out-and-out number 9 since Luis Suarez, and his Uruguayan compatriot has failed to live up to his promise at Anfield.
As good as Roberto Firmino was for Liverpool, the Brazilian offered far more than goal contributions under Jurgen Klopp – his overall play and ability to link with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah proved far more impactful.
With the Egyptian facing an uncertain future at Anfield into the final year of his contract, the Reds face decisions that could determine the club’s long-term success. Should Salah depart at the end of the season, a serious contingency plan must be in place.
Nunez has one goal in eight outings across all competitions this year. His 34-goal return in 104 appearances is far below the standard expected of him when he arrived at Anfield over two years ago.
Jota cannot be relied on to remain fit and consistent. The Reds may need to enter the transfer market this summer for a 30-plus goal-a-season striker to take the side to the next level and ease the potential loss of Salah.
The Uruguayan has shown glimpses of quality but it hasn’t been enough. Under Slot he looks further behind in his development than he was under Klopp, while the Liverpool fans continue to chant his name it may be time to accept his signing has been a resounding misfire.
Liverpool face a crucial period of gruelling fixtures stretching to mid-December. Should Jota be missing, Nunez will have no better opportunity to finally live up to his potential and stake his claim to lead the line for the foreseeable future.
Experience points to the fact that Nunez will continue to fall below the mark, but all Reds supporters will be behind him. It is now or never to save his Liverpool career.
In other Liverpool news, a Reds youth star could be fast-tracked through the ranks after what happened on Friday.
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