The unpredictable Uruguayan is a player that opposition fans love to mock, but the 24-year-old might have the last laugh
"You're just a sh*t Andy Carroll!" – It's an insult that opposition fans have repeatedly rolled out to mock Darwin Nunez since his arrival at Anfield in the summer of 2022. Sunday evening at the Vitality Stadium was no different.
The thing is, though, Bournemouth's supporters really should have known better. They tried to wind the Uruguayan up during a Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool back in November, only for him to respond in the best possible fashion by netting a wonderful winner shortly after coming off the bench.
So, it was strange to see them employ the same tactic for Nunez's return to the south coast, given it backfired badly the first time around. There's also the very strong possibility that Nunez doesn't even understand the reference, anyway.
Coping with constant criticism
Nunez isn't exactly an expert in Liverpool's history. During one light-hearted quiz, he incorrectly guessed that the Reds had only won two European Cups. So, it seems unlikely that he has never even heard of Carroll, one of the most infamous – but also unfortunate – flops in the club's history.
Then there's the fact that Nunez has shown impressive resolve in dealing with constant criticism, which started before he had even played a competitive fixture for Liverpool.
His frustration with his finishing has been obvious on occasion – even when he's been playing well – but he just keeps coming. And now he's reaping the rewards.
Advertisement'Captain Chaos' calming down?
Despite the Carroll chants, Nunez held his nerve to open and close the scoring at Bournemouth with two fantastic finishes that exhibited the kind of composure that manager Jurgen Klopp and his coaching teams have tried to instil into his game. It's not been easy to get 'Captain Chaos' to calm down.
Jamie Carragher says that Darwin is unlikely to evolve; that he will always be a frustrating forward, a maddening mix of pace, power and profligacy. And the former Liverpool defender may well be right.
"This is Darwin Nunez, it's who he is," Carragher said on on Sunday. "I don't think he'll change too much, he'll have games like today where he scores twice and then he might miss a sitter against Fulham in midweek."
You certainly wouldn't rule it out.
Getty Images'A right handful'
Nunez is still squandering big chances (only Erling Haaland has wasted more across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues this season) but the difference now is the overall efficacy. He has, as Carragher pointed out, become "a right handful" – which was best demonstrated by the way in which he out-muscled Bournemouth centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi in the build-up to Liverpool's second goal at the Vitality.
"He has a sheer physical power that makes defenders not want to play against him every week," the ex-England international said. "A good attacker isn't just about scoring goals – there's a lot more about it than that and he's got some of those other skills in abundance."
Indeed, Nunez has been used to excellent effect on the left flank this season because of his stunning speed, and has proven himself a particularly productive foil for Mohamed Salah.
Getty Images'Contributes in all games'
The fact that he is the only Premier League player so far this season to have reached double figures in all competitions for both goals and assists (10 apiece) speaks volumes for his all-round attacking threat. It also perfectly illustrates his improvement. Nunez was only directly involved in 19 goals during his debut season in England.
As Klopp told reporters recently, "The first year was a year to adapt and he scored here and there, but now he contributes in all games. The boys don't start because they score or not score. My belief and trust in them, as long as they behave properly, is endless. They deserve it because of the effort they put in."
And Nunez has also improved dramatically in that regard.