Jurgen Klopp has revealed having lengthy discussions with Darwin Nunez – but Liverpool are remaining “really calm” over the striker’s early difficulties at his new club.
Nunez has made just two starts following his potential club-record £85million move from Benfica in the summer and was limited to just a few minutes from the bench during the 3-3 home Premier League draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
The Uruguay international was hampered by a three-match suspension following his red card against Crystal Palace on his Anfield debut in August and hasn’t scored since the opening top-flight weekend.
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Having come off the bench against Napoli and Ajax, Nunez will hope to make his first Champions League start of the campaign when Rangers visit on Tuesday evening.
But Klopp is adamant the 23-year-old shouldn’t be concerned by his lack of minutes and pointed to Liverpool ’s overall indifferent form as a reason the forward hasn’t yet made the intended impact.
“He’s good,” said the Reds boss on Monday. “Of course he’s still adapting, how players always adapt. New players come in and everybody talks about them and wants them to shine immediately, that happens from time to time and sometimes not.
“Only yesterday we had a long talk with Pep Lijnders because my Portuguese is still not better. We just told him we are really calm. It’s really important in our situation that he isn’t looking like he is worrying or whatever.
“I know this kind of discussion will open up to the outside world. Of course the three-game didn’t help him, that’s clear. But that’s pretty much all.
“The team is not flying, and that makes it not easier for a striker especially not for a finisher. It’s not that we aren’t creating chances, but it’s not like everything is clicking and we put in one player and he finishes our situation off. That’s not our situation at the moment as much as I wish it would be. That’s all.”
Nunez was on the bench against Brighton despite having scored for Uruguay in their 2-0 friendly win over Canada last week.
And Klopp said: “Why he didn’t start the game at the weekend, he came back from the internationals and had a hamstring problem and when you get this information from the medical department it gives you an idea of some kind of minutes he is allowed to play, and you don’t start anyone who is only allowed to play 20 minutes or 15.”
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