Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez has been described by Chris Sutton as a “massive threat” ahead of Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Arsenal.
The pundit, writing on BBC Sport, praised the 24-year-old for his performance for the Reds against Chelsea in midweek, saying he did a “lot of good things”.
Liverpool head to Arsenal for a 4:30pm kickoff at the Emirates Stadium in the fixture of the weekend between two Premier League contenders.
Nunez has made a name for himself as Liverpool’s “agent of chaos“, an incredibly difficult opponent to play against who improves the Reds team as a whole.
Although the Uruguayan may not be the most prolific of goalscorers, he’s an unpredictable player who helps break down and carve open the opposition defence.
In Liverpool’s midweek win over Chelsea, Nunez hit the woodwork a staggering four times, which according to Opta, is a Premier League record.
He also showed off his all-round abilities with an impressive run and cross for Luis Diaz’s goal in the 79th minute of the Anfield clash.
Sutton previewed the Arsenal v Liverpool fixture on BBC Sport, mentioning Nunez amongst other Reds players, and predicted a 2-1 win for Jurgen Klopp’s charges.
“Liverpool look in great shape at the moment,” he said.
“They really impressed me against Chelsea, and they have still got Mohamed Salah to come back from the injury he picked up at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson both came off the bench on Wednesday as they return to full fitness.
And without those three players, the Reds have shown they have still got the strength in depth they will need in the run-in.
“There were loads of other positives, too. I know Darwin Nunez didn’t score, but he still carried a massive threat and did a lot of good things.
“Then you have got Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota looking sharp, and Liverpool’s midfield were excellent as well.”
Nunez has received his fair share of criticism since moving to Liverpool, but after needing a while to get going, he’s now a key contributor for the Reds in their pursuit of silverware this term.
It’s not as though he’s a poor goalscorer. He’s in double figures with 11 goals, and also has 11 assists in all competitions. A total of 22 goal contributions from 34 games is pretty good.
Then you have all the things he does in the game, such as his runs and relentless attitude, and it all adds up to a player who helps Liverpool get the results they need.
