Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has defended Darwin Núñez following the forward’s inability to score in the 4-1 victory against Chelsea.
Despite taking an astounding 11 shots during the match, Núñez became the first player in Premier League history to hit the woodwork four times in a single game. Even his penalty kick in the first half, though it deceived the goalkeeper, struck the post.
Despite these challenges, Núñez still contributed by assisting Luis Díaz in scoring Liverpool’s fourth goal, thereby extending their lead in the league to five points. The striker has now accumulated 11 goals and 11 assists from 34 games this season.
Following the match, Klopp admitted that Núñez was disappointed with his missed penalty at halftime but praised the number of chances he creates. Klopp is confident that it won’t be long before Núñez starts scoring more consistently.
“Remarkable first half, truly exceptional,” Klopp lauded. “Why do we discuss Darwin? Simply because he had so many opportunities where he didn’t convert.
“It’s the first time since we’ve been keeping track that a player hits the woodwork four times in a single game. Now, put yourself in his shoes, imagine how that feels. Then missing a penalty, you could see at halftime he was really frustrated with himself.
“And then missing a close-range header, but then providing an assist for a goal. He remains focused. There’s never been a striker who couldn’t walk properly and everyone wonders, ‘What is he doing?’ and ultimately becomes the image of himself. That’s just how it works.
“It’s remarkable that he creates so many chances. Just imagine if he converted them all. The numbers would be absolutely staggering, to the point where we wouldn’t comprehend it anymore, so it’s normal.
“For us, it’s not crucial. We scored four goals, who cares if we could have scored a fifth or sixth? It’s truly insignificant. We need to win football matches, and he will score, he’s already scored.
“And providing a crucial assist at a really important moment, for the fourth goal, because 3-2 or 4-1, that’s a significant difference. That’s what makes him the player he is for us, and the rest will follow, without a doubt.”
