Darwin Nunez equals 96-year-old record as Arne Slot weighs up big Liverpool decision
Darwin Nunez scored in a seventh successive match for Uruguay on Thursday night, matching a record set 96 years ago in his country and sending yet another message to new Liverpool boss Arne Slot.
Nunez was on target once more for Uruguay as they thrashed Bolivia 5-0 in the Copa America. The Liverpool striker netted in the 21st minute of a dominant affair, notching his second goal of the tournament after scoring in the 3-1 win over Panama.
The goal was the latest show of Nunez’s scintillating form for the national team, having now scored in seven successive matches for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay. The haul takes him level with legendary Hector Scargone, who registered the same form 96 years ago.
Should the 25-year-old bag another goal against the USA in their final Group C game, then Nunez will set a new record.
Nunez’s recent form will give plenty of food for thought for new Liverpool boss Arne Slot. The Uruguayan forward finished his second season at Anfield having yet to convince that the club record-fee spent on him has been duly repaid.
Jurgen Klopp signed Nunez from Benfica after an eye-catching breakout campaign in Portugal, which featured a memorable goal scored at Anfield in the Champions League. Altogether, Nunez would register 34 goals for the club.
But despite scoring on his debut for Liverpool – a match that also featured Manchester City’s new big-money striking signing Erling Haaland spurning a big chance - Nunez has become synonymous amongst fanbases for missing glaring chances, often in big games, while converting the more challenging ones.
Indeed, Nunez has scored 33 goals while with Liverpool but missed opportunities in the most recent season, particularly towards the back end of the Premier League campaign, left Liverpool adrift of the title race in the final throes.
Darwin Nunez has come under scrutiny for his inconsistency in front of goal
The inconsistency has inspired diatribe over Nunez’s potential to be the prolific finisher Liverpool need to compete for silverware. A memorable poor showing in the Merseyside derby that led to an historic victory for Everton even led Reds legend Jamie Carragher to proffer that Nunez might simply not be up for the task of leading the line for Liverpool.
Such profligacy has not totally been avoided on the international stage. While Nunez scored in a seventh successive match, Uruguayan media El Observador acknowledged that the striker "missed some more situations".
El Pais wrote of Nunez's display: "Incisive, dangerous and putting a lot of pressure on the defenders, although the main one must have been in the definition since he had the chances to score, but he couldn't take advantage of them. Of course, perhaps the most difficult of all he ended up taking advantage of with a great left-footed shot that beat the rival goalkeeper.”
Even so, Nunez seems to still be finding the back of the net with equal relish and regularity under former Leeds manager Bielsa. It remains to be seen if Slot believes he can tap into the rhythm Bielsa has teased out of his forward.
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