Liverpool New Boy Receives Many Praises: Will Klopp start him against Palace?

Liverpool’s club-record signing, Darwin Nunez, has been getting plenty of praise from the assistant manager and pundits of the game. With all being mentioned regarding the forward’s ability and his impact in their opening games, will Klopp be starting him against Crystal Palace on Monday night?

Since the Reds’ first competitive fixture of 2022/23, Jurgen Klopp hasn’t started the £85m striker, opting to use him as an impact player coming on from the bench. This has worked in the manager’s favour so far, but it must be asked, what if Nunez started both or one game?

Liverpool Got off to a Slow Start

The Reds had to come back from behind twice in their opening fixture against Fulham. The result was a fair result for their efforts in the second half but they were second best to the home side for large parts of the 90 minutes.

The second half saw a livelier Liverpool take the pitch but only once Nunez was introduced. Despite only being on the pitch for about 40 minutes of the game, he was the most impactful player for Jurgen Klopp on the day.

Darwin Nunez vs. Fulham

• Minutes Played: 40 Minutes
• Goals Scored: 1
• Assists: 1
• Shots taken: 4
• Shots on Target: 3
• Chances Created: 2 (Most in the Game)
• Aerial Duels Won: 3 of 4
• Recorded the highest speed in the Premier League this season at 36.53km/h

After his more than promising start to life as a Red from Anfield, he and his attacking partners have been receiving praises, but mostly him.

Here is what some had to say about Darwin Nunez.

The Praises for Liverpool’s New Signing

Liverpool’s Pep Lijnders on Darwin Nunez and Luiz Diaz:

"That South American soul! That’s what we want, and what we really, really like in a player. They have fire, they have hunger, they chase, and that makes them perfect for usTop, top players. The best player of Porto and the best player of Benfica, and now they are both ours!Success comes from working really hard, and Darwin is a beast working in training. He’s special, and it’s really cool that he’s with us.That’s why we all work so hard in training, both as a team and as individuals. And look, if James Milner can become better, then Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez certainly canHow exciting is that? (Via: goal.com)"

Gus Poyet on Liverpool’s record signing

"I am confident he will score lots of goals and I do believe he will be a fan favourite by the end of the seasonNunez has all the attributes to be a great goalscorer in the Premier League. The goal against Fulham will give him the confidence he needs. It is easier to adapt to the Premier League as a defender than as a striker.(Via: anfieldwatch.co.uk)"

Robbie Fowler, more of the same

"I also reckon the little Egyptian will benefit from the arrival of Darwin Nunez. Sadio Mane was a fantastic player for Jurgen Klopp’s team, but Nunez will give the Reds another dimension in the way he leads the line, holds the ball up and brings a physicality to the team that hasn’t been there previously.It is great to see the Premier League packed with players who are masters of the goalscorer’s art. Let the shoot-out commence(via: mirror.co.uk)"

Glenn Hoddle speaking about Nunez:

"He looks the real deal. He has good movement and has shown his ability to win balls in the air, so there’s another little option Liverpool now have. I don’t think they have had that option for the past few seasons. They have a good player on their hands.(via: hitc.com)"

Will he start against Crystal Palace?

It has come to a point where it will be surprising to not see him start for Liverpool from this point onwards. He has been performing better than Roberto Firmino and has been scoring more frequently, dating back to the pre-season already.

With him on the pitch last weekend Saturday, they had more attacks on goal, were more threatening when crossing the ball or playing through balls, and were just more in the opposition’s half compared to that of the first half.

Also, with Naby Keita predicted to start this fixture after missing their opener through illness, it should see Klopp opt for Nunez over Bobby. This is because Keita plays a lot of balls in behind the opposition’s backline, probably the Reds player the most likely to play a through ball, which is the striker’s strong suit.

This is also something Jurgen Klopp and coaching staff are trying to install into their gameplay more regularly, having not had an out-and-out striker in the time the German has been at the club.