What Federico Chiesa did after Milan win speaks volumes as Darwin Nunez dilemma clear for Liverpool

What Federico Chiesa did after Milan win speaks volumes as Darwin Nunez dilemma clear for Liverpool

Darwin Nunez is no stranger to starting the season slowly but the Uruguayan must be ready to seize his moment in the weeks ahead

Milan, Italy - September 17: Federico Chiesa of Liverpool FC and Kostas Tsimikas of Liverpool FC celebrate after winning the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD1 match between AC Milan and Liverpool FC at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza (San Siro) on September 17, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) (Image: Matteo Ciambelli/DeFodi Images via Getty Images )

After the full-time whistle sounded at the San Siro on Tuesday night, new Liverpool signing Federico Chiesa made a beeline for fellow substitute Darwin Nunez. In a fleeting clip of the pair’s exchange captured by the TV cameras, Chiesa appeared to be offering the Uruguayan some constructive critique of his performance.

The reason for the Italian’s Guardiola-esque appraisal was seemingly rooted in Nunez’s decision to take on a rather ambitious shot on in stoppage time, instead of cutting it back to one of his teammates. There was no animosity in the interaction - it is the sort of back-and-forth one would expect between elite athletes - but, nonetheless, it served as a pretty neat encapsulation of Nunez’s Liverpool career to date.

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Since joining the Reds in an initial £64million deal from Benfica in the summer of 2022, the striker has been a polarising figure in some quarters of the Liverpool fanbase. Capable of both the sublime and the ridiculous, Nunez had earned plenty of plaudits for his relentless work ethic and intoxicating brand of chaos and his efforts have been reflected in regular serenades from the Anfield faithful.

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However, a month into his third season on Merseyside, there is, externally at least, a growing sense that time is running out for Nunez to prove he can cut it in a Liverpool shirt. He posted a respectable return of 18 goals and 13 assists for the Reds last season but he fell out of favour towards the end of the campaign, failing to register in any of his last 10 appearances under Jurgen Klopp.

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It was hoped, however, that the arrival of new head coach Arne Slot would help reinvigorate Nunez, with the Dutchman himself having expressed his desire to work with the 25-year-old.

"I assume he will fit really well into this (playing style) because I like him," Slot said back in July. "I’ve told him already. He is one of the players I have spoken to. He might have had some struggles with finishing opportunities but he came a lot of times into those positions.

"I think he could fit in really well but it’s normal at a club like this that there are many more players who could play in his position.”

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If the early weeks of the season are anything to go by, though, it is clear Slot does not currently view Nunez as part of his first-string at Anfield. The Uruguayan has played just 84 minutes for Liverpool this term, having been restricted to four appearances off the bench in which he has contributed very little.

Instead, it is Diogo Jota whom Slot has entrusted with a starting berth in the No.9 role, while Luis Diaz seems to have nailed down a starting spot on the left flank. The latter has no doubt repaid the head coach’s show of faith, notching three goals and an assist in four Premier League games and arguably cementing himself as the club's Player of the Season so far.

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Jota, though, is a slightly different story, with the Portuguese having drawn blanks since his cool finish against Ipswich Town on the opening day of the season. That Slot opted to stick with his No.20 against Nottingham Forest last weekend, despite having had two clear weeks to work with Nunez due to his ongoing international exile, was telling.

Despite being afforded ample time to assess the Uruguayan on the training pitch, it is apparent that Slot still feels he is still second choice when it comes to leading the line.

With Cody Gakpo having turned in a stellar performance against AC Milan on Tuesday night and Federico Chiesa now available for selection, it would perhaps not be unfair to suggest Nunez is now sixth in Liverpool’s attacking pecking order - an eventuality which does not align with a player who could ultimately end up costing the club £85m.

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Still, it is worth noting that the forward made a similarly slow start to last season. Nunez was named on the bench in each of Liverpool’s first three Premier League matches last term before wrestling his way into the starting line-up with his explosive cameo against Newcastle United, during which he scored two late goals as a substitute to help the Reds come from behind on Tyneside.

“We cannot have 11 players and play them all the time, so we need to find stability is the discussion,” Klopp said when quizzed on Nunez’s match-winning turn at St James’ Park.

“After the international break we play every three days and nobody can play all the games so we have to make sure we have different options to go for. And we need to create a new way to play football and, of course, Darwin can be a super part of that.

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“His key strengths are exceptional, absolutely, but we need to find stability as well. So, for him everything will be fine but it is just maybe it had to be like this – if he wouldn’t have been that angry and started the game today, he wouldn’t score two in the last six minutes or whatever, so let’s take it like that.”

Indeed, Nunez might have to channel that same hunger in the weeks ahead if he is to prove to Slot he is capable of executing his more controlled footballing philosophy. Certainly, with Liverpool slated to play five games in just 15 days, the Dutchman will need as many of his players as possible fit and firing to ensure the Reds are still in the hunt for all four trophies by the time October’s international break rolls around.

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This weekend’s clash against Bournemouth could present the perfect opportunity for Slot to install Nunez into the starting XI as Liverpool bid for redemption after last weekend’s dismal defeat to Forest. It would also be a huge surprise if the Uruguayan was not in from the start for the Reds’ Carabao Cup tie with West Ham United next Wednesday.

While the season may not have gone to plan for Nunez so far, he knows first-hand how quickly the landscape can change at Anfield. One thing is for certain, though, when that opportunity does arise, he must be ready to grab it with both hands.

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