Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez. (Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images)
Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright has hinted that he didn't think Darwin Nunez was going to score during Liverpool's penalty shootout defeat against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Arne Slot's side were beaten on penalties following a 1-0 defeat on the night and a 1-1 draw on aggregate.
The Reds, who led from the first leg thanks to Harvey Elliott's late strike, were pegged back in the first half at Anfield as Ousmane Dembele brought PSG level in the Champions League round of 16 tie. After neither side could find another goal in the 90 minutes and extra time, the tie was decided by penalties.
Vitinha, Mohamed Salah and Goncalo Ramos scored the first three penalties in the shootout to put PSG 2-1 ahead, leaving Nunez the chance to continue the 100 per cent record. However, the Uruguayan failed to convert, side-footing his spot-kick to the right side but Gianluigi Donnarumma saved it.
After Dembele kept his composure to put his side 3-1 in front, Curtis Jones then missed his penalty to leave Liverpool on the brink of elimination. And Desire Doue scored PSG's fourth kick to knock the Reds out of the competition, despite having had an advantage going into the second leg.
It was a bitterly disappointing evening for the Reds and especially Nunez, who didn't start the game but came on in the second half and ended up missing from the spot. While Nunez has a decent penalty record - having netted 12 of his 13 takes during his career - he has scored ONE and missed ONE for Liverpool.
Nunez found the net from 12 yards against LASK in the Europa League in September 2023, before then missing a penalty in a 4-1 win over Chelsea in January 2024.
A more concerning aspect was Nunez's form. Yes, he may have scored during Liverpool's win over Southampton and set up Elliott's strike against PSG last Wednesday, but the 25-year-old had been under a considerable amount of pressure to step up and perform after Arne Slot criticised his work-rate.
It felt as though one more mistake and people, including some Liverpool fans, would pile back in on Nunez, even if he was well backed when he came on against PSG on Tuesday.
As well as his work-rate and application, Nunez's finishing has also been questioned. The former Benfica man missed a guilt-edge chance against Aston Villa last month and that wasn't the first time he has squandered an excellent opportunity for the Reds, showing that he can sometimes be rash in front goal.
There was a wider feeling when Nunez stepped up to take the spot-kick that he might not score but more so needed to find the net for his confidence and belief.
Speaking on The Overlap's Stick to Football podcast, Ian Wright shared that view, saying: "You know when you're watching a penalty shootout, there's always one that you don't fancy. I was on a WhatsApp group and when people saw our man Nunez walking down I must have saw three or four people saying 'he needs to score this'."
Nunez ended up missing and Liverpool went crashing out. Taking everything into consideration when it comes to Nunez; the criticism, mixed form, 50 per cent penalty record for the Reds, you didn't fancy him to find the net and it was a surprise that he even took one given what he has been through.