After both players made the switch to the Premier League last summer, Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland were briefly swapped on the rankings. The controversy was quickly put to rest, however, as the Man City star continued to shine and Nunez’s performance was too inconsistent.

In two recent matches of the Uruguayan star against Toulouse and Bournemouth, he both made Liverpool supporters stare at each other in different ways with his deeds. 

Nunez controlled the ball with skill, beating the Toulouse defender’s block and even going past Guillaume Restes, but the ball struck the post from approximately 10 meters away.

A little over a week later, however, Nunez offered supporters mixed feelings with his deft touch down the left corridor and subsequent unstoppable shot, which ultimately helped The Kop win the game 2-1.

The former Benfica striker has polarizing qualities; he has the potential to drastically alter the course of a game, but he’s also ripe for the role of “entertainment seed” because to his amazing missed opportunities.

Because of his unreliability, many people are skeptical of Nunez. It didn’t take long for Jose Enrique, a former defender, to see that the 24-year-old attacker wouldn’t amount to much.

You can’t have Darwin Nunez as your starting number nine if you want to win the Premier League. He doesn’t play in a way that fits in with Jurgen Klopp’s system.

In Nunez’s first season at Anfield, this assessment is mostly correct.

From an offensive standpoint, Nunez occasionally lines up on the left flank despite his lack of steadiness in finishing since his pace poses numerous difficulties for opponents. When the home team loses the ball, Klopp thinks Nunez doesn’t put enough pressure on the opponent.

With the addition of Cody Gakpo in January and the return of Diogo Jota, Darwin is now Liverpool’s third-choice number nine.

The Uruguayan player, however, has trained and developed the skills necessary to adjust. 

Nunez’s season changed for the better when he came on as a substitute in Liverpool’s game against Newcastle and scored twice to assist the team win with 10 players remaining.

From that point on, Nunez saw his playing time increase steadily. His inconsistency in completing shots was on full display in last week’s 1-1 draw with Luton Town.

Nunez was the “scapegoat” after Liverpool was held to a draw by the Premier League newcomers. Even if the Uruguayan star player flubs a chance, Klopp can’t ignore the good impact that Nunez has on the team.

“What makes Nunez really different is he’s involved in almost every step, so that’s good.”

Even though Nunez used to torture Liverpool’s defenders while playing for Benfica, he stated in February that he hasn’t displayed the form that made him so dangerous. The South American forward’s outlook, however, is improving as he puts together stronger and stronger performances.

Nunez, meanwhile, will need to work on his finishing skills if he is to become an indispensable option here. For a side like Liverpool aiming for the championship, the ability to capitalize on scoring chances can be the deciding factor between a single point and three.