rewrite this title He left in 2021: Liverpool flop sold for £12m is now outscoring Nunez in PL

Did Liverpool look nervy against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, or were Arne Slot’s side simply enduring a disjointed performance?

Let’s not forget that Liverpool still got the job done, beat the Old Gold to jump back into a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

It was a match that called for support from the bench, with Wataru Endo being named the Man of the Match and Conor Bradley adding energy in place of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back.

However, Darwin Nunez had no such luck at number nine.

Darwin Nunez’s performances

Nunez, 25, has been one of Liverpool’s most prominent figures over the past several years but he was linked with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League in January after little sign of growth since arriving from Benfica.

The Uruguay international is tenacious and multi-faceted, but he’s also wasteful and uncommanding as a focal frontman, only scoring six goals across 34 matches for Slot this season.

Against Wolves, Nunez failed to take a shot, make a key pass or even attempt a dribble across his 26 minutes of action plus stoppage time, as per Sofascore. Moreover, he lost both of his ground duels and completed only half of his eight attempted passes.

See the table below. The South American is running out of corners to turn.

The issue is that he hasn’t improved, with the ossification of his skill set leading many rivals to look at the reported £85m price tag with derision.

Four goals simply isn’t good enough for Liverpool’s club-record forward, not least because he’s being outscored in the Premier League by a former Reds prospect in Harry Wilson.

How Harry Wilson’s doing for Fulham

Fulham signed Wilson for a £12m fee in July 2021, a product of Liverpool’s academy but found his opportunities limited under Jurgen Klopp, only making two senior appearances.

Now 27, he’s been a mainstay in the Cottagers’ first team over the past several seasons, playing important roles both in the Premier League and the second tier and even being described as “the footballer’s footballer” by Wales boss Craig Bellamy, who was praising his work-rate and mindset, allowing peers to feed into his approach.

A technically talented player, the left-footer arcs in from the right flank and utilises his shifty movements and natural-born instinct in front of goal to impress.

He’s scored five times in the top flight this term having only started eight times, so he’s clearly doing something right.

In fact, he ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League this term for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref, suggesting that he could indeed make an impression in the current Liverpool squad, applying relief for Mohamed Salah.

With Nunez only bagging four Premier League strikes this term after such profligacy over the previous two years, it only serves to highlight the fumble that led Klopp to pursue the striker.

One thing’s for sure, he’s more clinical in front of goal than Nunez right now, despite his lowly market value of £14m, as per Transfermarkt.

Sadly, the Wales international fractured his foot at the end of January and could be out of action until mid-April, but whether Nunez, who has scored in only one of his past 12 top-flight matches, will be able to catch him is another question.