Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez landed under heavy fire after a dismal performance in the World Cup qualifiers loss against South American giants Argentina.
It has been a hot-and-cold season for the 25-year-old - more so leaning to the cold half in fact, as his domestic contributions have been amiss even in spite of the Reds' success in the league. He has netted just seven in 40 outings, and is on course for his worst ever goalscoring season in his career in Europe thus far.
With a forgettable display in the faces of the Argentinians, the Uruguayan media have been left unimpressed by his services, much like many Liverpool supporters this term.
Nunez Poor in Argentina Loss
The forward was hooked off in the second half
The stats view of Nunez's performance against Argentina was not kind and Liverpool fans saw more of the same in a national team shirt. In contrast, the Uruguayan media have expressed more deep-rooted concerns, suggesting Nunez worked hard but wasn't helped by his teammates. El Observador gave the striker a 4/10 in their player ratings following the clash:
**"**His usual display, but he ran into the same old problem: he couldn't get a clear ball to finish off the Argentine goalkeeper. He left the field in the 71st minute."
Meanwhile, El Pais had some glowing words of praise for Nunez's defensive efforts, and shared a similar sentiment regarding the player's lack of support on the pitch.
"He fought every challenge and made an incredible effort to get back to the defensive line. He made a good decision when he won the ball outside the box. They couldn't create a clear scoring opportunity for him. He came off in the 72nd minute for Federico Viñas."
Darwin Nunez's statistics vs Argentina
Minutes played
Goals/Assists
Accurate passes
Shots
Chances created
Touches
Tackles won
Duels won
Recoveries
FotMob rating
It has often been the case where Nunez has overly exasperated fans with his lack of efficiency in front of goal, although his relentless work ethic has rarely been under question before.
But boss Arne Slot may have seen enough regardless, and that has been evident from the Dutchman's reluctance to include the player in his starting eleven.
Speaking on the GIVEMESPORT Market Madness podcast, The Athletic's James Pearce revealed that a summer exit for Nunez was "increasingly likely". Fabrizio Romano shared a similar update, revealing in his exclusive newsletter that there is a "serious possibility" he leaves with clubs in Europe and Saudi Arabia keen.
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Statistics courtesy of FotMob.com - Correct as of 22/03/2025