Liverpool had another challenging yet successful outing against Girona, but the same can't be said for frontman Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan striker, who joined Liverpool in a club-record deal from Benfica in 2022, is finding it tough to elevate his game under new manager Arne Slot after two promising seasons at Anfield.
Despite scoring 15 and 18 goals in his first two campaigns, Nunez's form has dipped this season, missing key opportunities on Tuesday night. With Diogo Jota nearing a return to full fitness, Nunez's position in Slot's lineup could be at risk, especially after failing to find the net in his last five appearances, four of which he started, and only notching three goals in 19 outings across all competitions this term.
After the win over Girona, which kept Liverpool's perfect Champions League start intact, head coach Slot stood by his striker. However, Luis Garcia, a member of Liverpool's 2005 Champions League-winning squad, echoed a sentiment on ESPN FC's YouTube channel that many fans might reluctantly accept: "It's the story with Darwin Nunez," Garcia commented.
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"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 netted 34 goals in 44 appearances in his final season at Benfica, including two against Liverpool in the Champions League. But while he will struggle to get close to that tally for the Reds this season, his manager still has his back.
Slot said after the Girona win, which was secured by Mohamed Salah's 16th goal of the campaign: "What I can agree on is that he missed a few chances. Then it's always the question: does this have anything to do with low confidence or is this a situation where he's in at the moment?
"I think every striker all around the world has periods where every ball goes in, and sometimes he has a period where you try so hard but you're not able to score. The good thing is that we have many players that can score for us - today Mo again.
"I would have loved to see Darwin score because I think every striker wants to score (and) needs goals - that's why I kept him in for quite a long time. He was a threat but unfortunately he couldn't score."