- 12 hours ago
The 15 Premier League players with a better goal record than Darwin Nunez
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 22 Apr 2024 15:06 BST
- 3 min read
Darwin Nunez is a player who divides opinion, with some arguing his ability to get into goal-scoring positions makes him elite, while others suggest his inability to finish chances could cost Liverpool the Premier League title.
The Uruguayan joined the Reds for a whopping €85 million in 2022 and although he has displaced glimpses of real class, there’s certainly an argument to be made that he isn’t consistent enough to help lead Liverpool to multiple major honours.
With two goals in his last 10 matches in all competitions, Nunez is certainly out of form in regards to the finishing touch and Diogo Jota’s return from injury is a massive boost for Jurgen Klopp, given the ex-Wolves star’s clinical nature in front of goal.
READ MORE: Arsenal face transfer battle as Liverpool scout €100m superstar
Do Liverpool need to sign a Darwin Nunez replacement?
Nunez’s chaotic nature means he is always a handful for opposition defenders, but Liverpool’s pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres certainly indicates that signing a replacement is on the club’s mind.
The Uruguyan’s tally of 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions is extremely impressive, but he is far from deadly inside the penalty area.
READ MORE: Less chaos, more quality – Liverpool DESPERATELY need a Darwin Nunez upgrade
Nunez is 84th in the Premier League for goals per shot this season, with 0.11 of his shots hitting the back of the net in the league action this term. He jumps up to 74th when only including players with 900 or more minutes played.
He deserves credit for getting on the end of so many chances, but his finishing touch has been severely lacking.
Goals per 90 in the Premier League this season (minimum 900 minutes played)
| Player | Goals per 90 |
|---|---|
| 1. Alexander Isak | 0.87 |
| = Cole Palmer | 0.87 |
| 3. Erling Haaland | 0.83 |
| 4. Diogo Jota | 0.79 |
| 5. Chris Wood | 0.74 |
| 6. Mohamed Salah | 0.71 |
| 7. Elijah Adebayo | 0.70 |
| 8. Michael Olise | 0.69 |
| 9. Richarlison | 0.66 |
| 10. Leandro Trossard | 0.63 |
| 11. Ollie Watkins | 0.59 |
| 12. Son Heung-min | 0.56 |
| 13. Dominic Solanke | 0.55 |
| 14. Taiwo Awoniyi | 0.53 |
| = Hwang Hee-chan | 0.53 |
| 16. Rodrigo Muniz | 0.52 |
| = DARWIN NUNEZ | 0.52 |
Although his goal tally is eye-catching, Nunez ranks joint-16th in the Premier League for goals per 90 this season (only including players with at least 900 minutes played) and while Mohamed Salah’s goalscoring exploits have masked his poor finishing, that could come to an end if the Egyptian joins the Saudi Pro League.
Nunez has certainly shown elements of real promise at Liverpool, but the Reds may need to sign a more consistent goalscorer once Salah leaves or they run the risk of missing out on major honours due Nunez’s erratic finishing.
