Darwin Nunez's Pre-season Performance Promises Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp Satisfied

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez. (Photo: Twitter/@LFC)

JAKARTA - Darwin Nunez's performance when Liverpool won 4-0 over Leicester City in a pre-season match at the National Stadium, Singapore, Sunday, July 30, received a lot of praise. The manager, Jurgen Klopp, also appreciated him.

In that match, Nunez appeared from the start with Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota in attack. The player who was brought in from Benfica in July 2022 scored the Reds' opener after using the rebound ball.

Klopp said he was satisfied with Nunez's performance in that match. He said the goal scored by the Uruguayan player was typical of a deadly striker.

"You can see he has speed and his goal is typical goalscorer. He's there, touch him and kill him," Klopp said.

Nunez's sharpness was not only shown against the Foxes, but also in two pre-season Liverpool matches against two other teams. He scored one goal in a 4-2 win against Karlsruher on July 19 and scored two goals in a 4-4 draw against Greuther Furth on July 24.

"In training he looks very good. He is fit, it helps, and now two more games and Chelsea," Klopp said, on the club's official website quoted via Antara, Monday, July 31.

Last season, Nunez appeared 42 times in all competitions and recorded 15 goals and four assists. Although still far from expectations, Klopp said what the Uruguayan national team striker showed in his inaugural season strengthened the Anfield-based team.

"I think the signs that Darwin showed last season were very good. Injuries and red cards (versus Crystal Palace) didn't help in person and these things, but everything went well," said the 56-year-old coach.

Liverpool still have two remaining pre-season matches, namely against two Bundesliga teams, Bayern Munich at the National Stadium, Singapore on Wednesday, August 2, 18.30 WIB and against SV Darmstadt 98 at Deepdale Stadium, England on Tuesday, August 8, at 01.00 WIB.