Liverpool legend Michael Owen has admitted he would be “scratching his head” if he was Darwin Nunez as he struggles for a starting berth under Arne Slot – but predicted that he would get plenty of game time over the course of the campaign.
The Uruguayan striker’s contributions during his first couple of campaigns at Anfield have proven divisive among observers, with his 103 appearances yielding 34 goals. During the infancy of his new head coach’s tenure, the former Benfica man has been limited to a single start in the Premier League and three outings from the bench.
Making the first XI for the 3-0 win over Bournemouth last month, Nunez scored his first and only strike of the campaign so far – appearing emotional during his celebrations. However, illness ruled him out of the subsequent trip to face Wolves before Diogo Jota was preferred as center-forward to face Crystal Palace.
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The Portuguese marksman has installed himself as Slot’s first choice pick in the position in the league so far this term, starting the campaign strongly. Now, former Reds striker Owen has now asserted that he expects Nunez to benefit as he predicts Slot will begin to rotate his squad readily in the coming weeks and months as he looks to compete on multiple fronts.
Speaking exclusively to Liverpool.com in an interview arranged by AceOdds, the ex-England stalwart weighed up the 25-year-old’s current situation. Putting a balance spin on affairs, he said: “I think it’s been quite – in some ways – difficult but in some ways easy as well for the manager.
“Because when you start the season, it’s not as hectic as it is around Christmas or even towards the end of the season when you are planning so many games and you’ve got to rotate players. I think to start the season you have international breaks; you have one game a week a lot of the time.
“It’s only now that the Champions League’s kicked in and all of a sudden, he’ll be looking at his squad. But when you’re putting in performances, when you’re winning, when you go to Old Trafford and win 3-0 and then your next game, and no one’s got injured it’s hard to change the team.”
Nunez has been given opportunities from the start in both the Champions League and EFL Cup as Slot looks to keep his players as fresh as possible as fixtures begin to pile up. Still, Owen confessed would feel uneasy with matters if he was in Nunez’s shoes as he continues to play second fiddle to Jota.
He said: “It’s easy for me to say that if I was sat on the bench and not had a look in yet, then I’d half be scratching my head. But I think from now on is when you’re going to see Arne Slot mix and match a little bit, change his team a little bit. But I don’t necessarily blame him for this start of the season because as I say, getting into a routine, a bit of a rhythm with the same team.”
“When they’re not playing every three days anyway was probably a wise thing to do. But I do think that it will change going forward and he’ll definitely utilise more of his squad.”
As for the expectations for the Reds this season, Owen feels that winning a trophy this term and putting in a strong league showing will be an objective for the players. He added: “Well, if you ask the players, the fans, the manager, obviously success will be winning something.
“I think in the cold light of day before the season started, if you said to Liverpool fans, Slot going to come in and he’s going to have a fantastic season and Liverpool are going to finish third and only three points behind City and Arsenal and they’ll pick up an FA Cup or whatever, then you think, wow, right, I’d snap your hand off with that.”
