The stat that PROVES Darwin Nunez criticism is inherently unfair

Cameron Smith

• 9 Feb 2024 14:46 GMT
• 3 min read

Darwin Nunez has split opinion since joining Liverpool, but he is undoubtedly a threat in the final third.

The Uruguay striker is adored by Reds supporters and heavily criticised by fans of other Premier League clubs; in fact, there is arguably no player in world football who divides opinion more.

Nunez has 22 goal contributions in all competitions so far this season - an impressive rate - but his tally of 20 big chances missed in the Premier League (the most in the division) is one that is more widely-known on social media.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is second with 18, however the Norwegian has scored seven more league goals than Nunez this season.

Furthermore, Nunez went on an eight-game goalless drought in the English top flight from November to Boxing Day, which brought on bounds of criticism.

However, despite that patchy run of form, only eight players have registered more goals and assists than Nunez (14) in the Premier League this season, and all of them have registered more than his 1,331 league minutes.

Darwin Nunez: Liverpool’s underrated star

Nunez is by no means clinical, but his movement and physicality are both top notch and he frequently gets in the right positions to cause chaos in the opponent’s penalty area.

The 24-year-old isn’t a polished player at all, however Jurgen Klopp has a defender’s nightmare on his hands and his work with the Uruguayan has seen Nunez’s all-round game improve massively since his €85 million arrival from Benfica.

In fact, Nunez’s development can be seen by the fact his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is now at a career high. His ETV currently stands at €52.6m after February’s update, an improvement of €6.2m from January.

Nunez’s transfer value was just €25.9m when Liverpool signed him and after a dip in mid-2023, he is now on the up and ready to help the Reds fight for the Premier League title once again.

The Uruguayan may not be the finished article, but his ETV development proves that Liverpool's investment is beginning to pay off and Klopp will need Nunez to continue his current trajectory if he is to leave Anfield on a high.