Jurgen Klopp sees Robert Lewandowski parallels in misfiring Darwin Nunez - 'Lot of similarities'
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Updated 30/12/2022 at 10:56 GMT
"We had shooting sessions where he didn't finish off one," Jurgen Klopp said, looking back on his time coaching Robert Lewandowski at Borussia Dortmund. And it's that context which is giving Klopp confidence that Darwin Nunez will eventually come good at Liverpool, after his recent struggles in front of goal. "It's just about staying calm and I am super calm," the Reds boss added.
Klopp 'loved' how Liverpool held off Aston Villa challenge in Premier League win
Jurgen Klopp says he can see similarities between the development of Darwin Nunez and what he witnessed with Robert Lewandowski when the pair worked together at Borussia Dortmund.
Nunez failed to register a goal or an assist in Liverpool's Boxing Day win over Aston Villa, continuing a season where the Uruguayan has blown hot and cold, despite his five league goals.
Nunez arrived at Anfield last summer from Benfica for a fee that could rise to £85m.
"There are a lot of similarities [to Lewandowski] to be honest," Klopp said of Nunez.
"I think Lewy would tell the same story. We had shooting sessions where he didn't finish off one.
"We had bets all the time for 10 euros - 'if you score more than 10 times, I will pay you 10; if you don't, you have to pay me'. My pocket was full of money!
"It's all about staying calm. When you see the potential, stay calm. I think we all agree that the potential is so obvious.
"I think it's clear when you see the second chance, the big chance in the second half [against Villa], he can run a little bit on an angle and then he has a free choice, all these kind of things.
"But it is all coming. You do it like this, the next time you do it like that. I had this situation with Lewy but it is not only Lewy. He is the obvious comparison, I understand.
"It's just about staying calm and I am super calm. The team is calm as well, the team is completely convinced and that's really cool."
Klopp hailed his “exceptional” side after their win over Villa, as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Stefan Bajcetic were on the scoresheet with Ollie Watkins’ second-half goal for Villa ultimately not enough to salvage anything from the game.
“Massively,” Klopp replied when asked how pleased he was with the result. “It was a top performance, a difficult game against Aston Villa. I think we played exceptional first half, Villa had their moments but we were really good, I liked what I saw.
“We could tell the boys at half-time where we could have done better and the only problem was the second half, we missed a little bit the last step, all of a sudden, and obviously Aston Villa were pushing hard, that’s normal in a home game, we knew that would happen. You have to get through these periods.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold played an incredible pass from midfield to find Andy Robertson, making a darting run into the box from Liverpool’s right flank, who then found Salah to tap home for the opener.
“I loved them all, but you are right,” Klopp said when asked which goal was most special. “The pass from Trent [Alexander-Arnold], I don’t know, I asked him after the game ‘did you want it?’ He said ‘yes!’
“Wow, incredible, and the turn as well, Robbo [Andy Robertson] off of the run, and then you need someone to finish, and obviously for Mo [Salah] it’s not too difficult. Sensational goal.”
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Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates with teammates Darwin Nunez and Andy Robertson after scoring their side's first goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Liverpool FC at Villa Park
Image credit: Getty Images
Asked specifically on Nunez's display after the game, Klopp had said: “Incredible, what a game he played!
"Life is unfair [on Nunez not scoring], on the foot, it’s once inch, maybe less, if the ball goes in or not, and he will score, there’s no doubt about that.
“What he gives us is depth, each ball pretty much controlled at once, then play it in behind, that’s really tricky because he has power that’s incredible, and of course, he will score.
“I was in this situation many times before with strikers and everything will be fine, this game was exceptional.”
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