Liverpool maintained their perfect record in the UEFA Champions League under Arne Slot as they secured a 1-0 win against Girona away from home.
In what was an entertaining game of football, Mohamed Salah scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the second half as the Reds overcame a spirited showing from the hosts to secure all three points.
Liverpool have now secured their place in the Round of 16 with two games to spare and recorded their fifth clean sheet in Europe under the Dutchman.
It was another impressive night on their travels, but Luis Garcia singled out one Liverpool player for his lack of composure against Girona.
Luis Garcia says Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez lacks composure
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool speaks to the media after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Girona FC and Liverpool FC at ...
Photo by Alex Caparros – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Darwin Nunez has led the line for Liverpool in recent weeks as Diogo Jota has missed large parts of the season due to a rib injury.
Starting as a number nine – with Luis Diaz and Salah either side of him – the Uruguayan had another chance to prove to the Anfield faithful exactly what he was capable of.
However, Nunez endured another frustrating outing in front of goal as he missed a couple of chances to break the deadlock before the interval.
He was a willing runner and worked tirelessly for the team, but in terms of putting away his chances, he left a lot to be desired.
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Garcia feels Nunez’s finishing and composure in the box haven’t improved too much since he signed for the club as he shared his feelings on the Liverpool striker after the game.
“It’s the story with Darwin Nunez,” said Garcia on ESPN FC’s YouTube channel.
“We all agree – his work rate is fantastic – he’s helping the team because he’s always trying to push the opponent but we’re missing the last part – the scoring rate.
“It’s something we’ve been waiting for for the past years but it’s not arriving. He can score goals but he’s not a player who can maybe score 25-30 goals.
“Something is missing there and we’re still waiting. Every single game he gets one, two, or three chances and he’s missing the last part. He’s missing a little bit of composure in the last moment.”
Nunez’s stats vs Girona
Stephen Warnock criticised Nunez for his failure to put away his chances for Liverpool as he once again drew a blank.
His underlying numbers from the game show exactly why the likes of Garcia and Warnock singled him out for criticism.
71 minutes played
16 touches
50% pass completion rate
2 big chances missed
1 shot off target
0 chances created
With Diogo Jota now fully fit, it remains to be seen if Nunez keeps his place in the team when Liverpool take on Fulham at Anfield on Saturday.
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