Tony Cascarino has claimed that Darwin Nunez must become more clinical for Liverpool otherwise he ‘won’t survive’ at the club.
The Uruguay international was signed from Benfica in the summer in a move worth an initial £64m and although he’s netted 10 goals and registered three assists in 26 appearances this season (across all competitions), his finishing ability has been questioned at times.
There’s no denying that the 23-year-old runs his socks off and has a brilliant attitude, but with Jurgen Klopp’s side struggling for form and sitting tenth in the Premier League table, a clinical finisher is exactly what they need right now.
“Now I know Nunez has come in, and he could possibly be a really good striker,” Cascarino told talkSPORT (via Metro).
“He keeps getting in one-on-one situations and blasts it. Liverpool had an incredible striker called Ian Rush, who got loads and loads of one-on-ones.
“He was very precise in his finishing, that is not for me Nunez at the moment.
“He wants to blast everything – it’s great if they go in, but a lot of times it keeps hitting the ‘keeper.
“Now, finishing is a really difficult skill, and he’s got to learn that. I’ve seen Marcus Rashford change as a player in front of goal.
“I remember doing an article about four years ago about Marcus Rashford and he reminded me of Nunez, because of the way he would break free, get in positions, but not be clinical.
“And if you’re going to be at a top club and not be clinical, you will be gone, and you won’t survive.
“And he’s [Rashford] become this season way more clinical. Nunez has got to get to that stage of being clinical when he gets in one-on-ones, but that’s one of many an issue.”
Nunez is constantly getting into dangerous positions and causing trouble for the opposition defence, but his composure in front of goals is what’s lacking a lot of the time.
He last netted a league goal for Liverpool during our 3-1 defeat of Southampton back in November and has had plenty of chances to do so since.
Our No. 27 isn’t the only member of Klopp’s squad struggling for form but we urgently need to get back to winning ways if we’re to finish the campaign in the top four.
We’re 11 points behind Newcastle United at the moment who currently occupy the final Champions League spot and up next for us is the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
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