Steve Nicol way off after what he’s said about Darwin Nunez at Liverpool
Liverpool may have had an excellent season so far but that is not to say everything is perfect at Anfield.
After getting knocked out of the Champions League and losing the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United, the Reds can now ‘only’ win the Premier League title this season.
Furthermore, reports that Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid in the summer has left many worried about the future.
Liverpool have squad decisions to make
With the summer transfer window fast approaching, Arne Slot will have some decisions on his hands about how his team will shape up next season.
The reports of Alexander-Arnold’s fate leaves questions hovering over the futures of both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, with a worry that losing all three players could have a disastrous impact.
The pressure is on the Reds to deliver after accusations that this season’s success is a result of bad luck for Arsenal rather than Liverpool’s own quality.
With that in mind, the manager will undoubtedly need to bring in new faces during the transfer window in the hope of strengthening his side as they prepare to seek success again next term.
However, to do so, some players may need to move on and someone whose future has been up for debate is Nunez.
The striker has failed to perform to the required levels throughout the season so far and has been responsible for some big moments that have cost his side, notably a penalty miss in the Champions League loss to PSG.
| Stats (league) | Nunez |
| Matches | 23 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 2 |
However, speaking live on ESPN (29 March), former Liverpool man Steve Nicol made a case for his future at Anfield as he said: “Listen, you need a squad.
“You’re talking about hoping to be involved in three or four tournaments, so why wouldn’t you have somebody like him?”
Nunez has no Liverpool future
Nicol is right in what he says about Liverpool needing squad depth if they want to compete at the top level across multiple competitions next term.
However, depth means nothing if the manager does not feel confident in the players he has in waiting and, if anything, it will force him to continue using the same men.
Slot has made no secret of his disappointment in Nunez this term, with his attitude coming into question on a number of occasions.
Therefore, if the manager is going to have players waiting in the wings, he has to be confident that they will be able to take their opportunity and that certainly isn’t the case with Nunez.
In 23 Premier League appearances this term, the 25-year-old has scored five goals and assisted three times which, when you compare to the levels others are performing to in the side, is not up to the same standard.
It has been reported that there is interest in Nunez from elsewhere heading into the summer window, and it would make sense for Liverpool to cut their losses and cash in on a player that the manager does not value.