Paddy Pimblett expresses frustration with Darwin Núñez, but still believes he is a better fit for Liverpool than Erling Haaland
UFC star Paddy Pimblett believes Darwin Nunez's combination game makes him a better fit for Liverpool than Erling Haaland.
The Uruguayan striker has become a great fan favorite in Anfield since he signed from Benfica in 2022.
Nunez has been plagued by inconsistent performances, with the 24-year-old often accused of wastefulness in front of goal.
However, he has shown his true quality on several occasions, sometimes even in the same games where he misses key opportunities.
Speaking of the player in the BOSS PodcastLiverpool fan and MMA lightweight Pimblett He sent a message to his followers, saying: “We all love him.
“But you know what we really have to stop doing on the ground: we have to stop saying 'Núñez, Núñez!' when you fail. It encourages you to keep doing that.”
He added: “My arl friend (dad) said, 'Boy, when I click on it, it'll just explode, it just won't stop scoring.' And he's right.
“I think also when he receives the ball, when he has time to think about it, he makes a mistake, when he has like three seconds to think about it.
“When the ball comes to his feet and he has half a second, boom, snap, he does better. He's more of a reactive player, if he has too much time to think about it, his head spins.”
Despite this, Pimblett believes that Núñez's style suits Liverpool much more than that of the Manchester City star. Haaland would take to the side.
“To be honest, I think his link-up play is what they don't appreciate him enough for.
“Obviously, Haaland is an absolute scorer, he does not receive any assistance or any previous play, but Núñez is regressing.
“He's coming back to his own half and working in his own half, winning the ball back and then taking it to the other end of the pitch.
“It's the connection play, I think Núñez fits better into our team than Haaland just for that reason.”
Núñez has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, just two less than his total from the previous campaign.
He has also provided more assists in his second year at Liverpool, 11 this time compared to four last season.
While Núñez brings good to the Reds, Haaland scored an incredible goal five goals against Luton in the FA Cup to take his total to 27 in all competitions this season.