Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is best used as an impact substitute for the time being.
Nunez has had a terrific start to the season, bagging four goals and providing two assists in eight games across all competitions.
But according to former Reds attacker Emile Heskey, the Uruguayan does not yet make up part of Liverpool’s strongest forward line. Speaking to altindex.com, Heskey outlined who Jurgen Klopp should be playing up front.
“In terms of Liverpool’s front three, I think Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are the best combination for Jurgen Klopp to use,” said the 45-year-old.
“Darwin Nunez works best at the moment coming off the bench and making an impact to unsettle teams a little later on. I really like that combination.”
Heskey backs Nunez omission
There are plenty of Liverpool fans out there who would disagree with Heskey’s take.
Although Nunez’s qualities as an impact sub are obvious, it also must be said that the 24-year-old tends to have the same effect when starting games, too.
His pace, size and tenacity never change. Whether he’s on the pitch from the very first minute or entering it in the very last, Nunez hassles, harries and gives everything.
Obviously, with oppositions legs getting weary, it’s incredibly useful to have someone like that to chuck on late on in games. But we shouldn’t pigeon-hole the former Benfica man as being that alone.
The flip-side of this is of course what the trio Heskey mentions can offer. Not individually, but as a collective unit.
Arguably, the Diaz, Gakpo, Salah unit does look a little more cohesive than a Diaz, Nunez, Salah one.
Gakpo can be the man to tie things together in the Bobby Firmino role, while Salah and Diaz do their business out wide and cutting in. But with the Dutchman now injured anyway, Nunez is going to get the chance to stake his claim to the likes of Heskey.
Jamie Carragher names ‘only positive’ from Liverpool VAR controversy in brutal verdict of released audio
Jamie Carragher believes the release of the audio from Liverpool’s game against Tottenham Hotspur is further evidence that the officials ‘completely froze’ and ‘panicked’.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited released the audio recordings of discussions between the match officials around Luis Diaz’s disallowed goal on Tuesday night. Liverpool asked referees’ body, PGMOL, for the audio after the controversy in the first half of their 2-1 defeat.
Liverpool were left seething over the incident, the latest embarrassing episode for PGMOL and its implementation of VAR technology. After a quick VAR check, the goal was ruled out for offside, and the match restarted, but replays clearly showed Tottenham defender Cristian Romero played Diaz onside.
Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher said the officials responsible for incorrectly confirming the decision to disallow Diaz’s ‘panicked’ and ‘froze’ once they realised their error. And reacting to the release of the audio, the former Reds defender believes the recordings further back up his point.
Taking to X, the Sky Sports pundit wrote: “The video operator is trying to save the situation for the VAR & AVAR one second after Spurs take the free kick!
“Like I said last night on #MNF they have completely froze & panicked & not made the right decision to just stop the game whether that was in the rule book or not.
“The only positive is I think this will push all concerned to get the VAR audio out a lot more & quicker in the future.”
After releasing the audio on Tuesday, the PGMOL said the error was a result of a ‘lapse of concentration and loss of focus’, while the governing body also confirmed two immediate changes have been made to how VAR is used.