Darwin Nunez has a further two goals to warm up for Manchester City, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp thinks the player has “quality pouring out of his ears”.
Nunez scored twice as the team defeated Sparta Prague 5-1 in the Europa League encounter on Thursday. Despite insulting taunts from rival supporters, the Uruguayan attacker has 16 club goals this season and has also contributed 11 assists.
After losing defender Ibrahima Konate to injury, Klopp continued, saying, “He doesn’t seem worried by it and simply keeps going.”
Leaders The Premier League title battle will be greatly impacted by Liverpool’s match against Manchester City, who are just one point behind in second place, on Sunday at Anfield (15:45 GMT).
Nunez, 24, is having one of his very best runs while wearing a Liverpool jersey; with two goals in Prague, he now has five in four games.
Before a critical stretch of games, that involves an FA Cup quarterfinal against Manchester United on March 17, Klopp feels his £64 million acquisition from Benfica in June 2022 is thriving.
“He had certainly over an OK first season but he needed to adjust, that’s accomplished, and he has become comfortable in the middle of the team,” said the German manager.
“He really enjoys playing for this team together with the other players and has potential pouring out of his ears, to be honest.”Is he generally at his best point yet? Not at this time for us. But is he capable of growing? Sure. Is he constantly a threat? Indeed.”
Guillem Balague, a Spanish football specialist, claims that Nunez is developing into a “world-class” forward.
“His mindset was disregarded, which is what brought him to this point,” he continued on the BBC Euro Leagues podcast. “People-centered on an apparent absence of quality in his finishing.”
“He isn’t the Benfica player, he is developing into a world-class player.”
The one setback in Liverpool’s otherwise successful first-leg match against the United States was a near-accident scare to center-back Konate, who was substituted as a precaution.
“When he overtook me in that moment, Ibou said, ‘I felt if I do an additional sprint then it might be bad,'” Klopp continued. He said he must be alright, but we’re not sure.”
Conor Bradley substituted fellow defender Joe Gomez for Liverpool at halftime, although Klopp allayed concerns about the Englishman’s injury.
“Joey is doing fine,” he said.
“We took him off, he took part in a lot of games to ensure there was more rotation, precaution.”
