ExplainedHow Darwin Nunez will continue to develop at Liverpool
Nunez scored the winner with a fine header and put in an all-action performance as West Ham United were beaten 1-0 at Anfield on Wednesday night.
The Uruguay forward – whose fitness will be checked ahead of Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest – has netted five goals in 12 appearances for the club since his summer transfer from Benfica.
Following the West Ham win, Klopp stated that Nunez has ‘arrived 100 per cent’ and the boss has now explained how he and his coaching team will look to further hone the striker’s talents.
“Staying fit and getting minutes and goals then, of course,” the manager told Liverpoolfc.com, on what he sees as the next phase for the No.27.
“But the way he plays is really natural, it’s really natural. He’s not a player we have to give now five million different [pieces of] information, that makes no sense. We need to get used to his runs, he needed to get used to our way of course – we are much further in that development now but it’s far away from being finished.
“I think all the things he can offer us are really exciting, it’s like this. It’s not only the speed but the speed of course as well and he is really good in the air, finishing is really good, and if he calms down even a bit more then he will immediately realise how good he is technically because sometimes the ball bounces here and there – it’s not a problem because that happens in football.
“But when you are new in the club it feels different than when everybody knows, ‘Yeah, usually you will not do that.’ So it’s like everything is watched under the glass and [people say], ‘Oh, he is not good there or there’ – no, no, no, he is a really exciting package and very young and that, for a striker of this calibre, is really young.
“I worked with a few really good ones together, obviously, in my life and in this age group, none of them was even close to being ready or the finished article. There is lots more to come.”
Nunez was withdrawn after the break in the Hammers game with Klopp saying post-match that he ‘felt a little bit the muscles at half-time’.
When asked on Friday if the 23-year-old will be available to face Forest, the boss replied: “He is one of the cases where we need to have a look because he was not injured, but he felt something and I don’t know if he feels that still today and what the medical department tells me then, we have to see.”
Play nowQuiz: Liverpool's season so far - can you get 10/10?
ColumnMatt Beard: We have to play the game and not the occasion at Everton
Feature'This city and this club has to fight for everything' - six things spotted in 'The Reds Roundtable'
NewsJarell Quansah joins up with senior England squad
Premier LeagueEverton v Liverpool: Away ticket details