Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are "completely calm" despite club record signing Darwin Nunez's initial struggles at the club following his £85million transfer.
The Uruguayan forward, 23, has endured plenty of mixed emotions in his short time as a Liverpool player thus far, scoring the final goal to clinch the Community Shield back in July and again to mark his Premier League debut a week later, before his petulant red card against Crystal Palace.
That headbutt on Joachim Andersen has led to increased scrutiny on Nunez, who was suspended for the next three games and has started just one of Liverpool's four matches since his return. He has been largely ineffectual in each of his appearances in those games, amid Liverpool's difficult slump in form..
Yet Klopp has batted away any criticism of Nunez for failing to hit his stride, as he insisted the circumstances have hardly been ideal for him and told the player that much in a meeting with No.2 Pep Lijnders.
"New players come in and we want them to shine immediately and that happens from time to time," Klopp said at a press conference on Monday. "We are completely calm. It's really important in our situation that he isn't worrying.
"The three-game suspension didn't help him, that's clear. The team isn't flying and that doesn't help a striker."
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While Liverpool's latest poor showing in the 3-3 draw against Brighton on Saturday may persuade Klopp to ring the changes for the visit of Rangers this week, Nunez faces a bigger task of dislodging Roberto Firmino following the Brazilian's purple patch of form.
Firmino was on target twice against the Seagulls, taking his tally to five goals in his last six games. Diogo Jota was also selected ahead of Nunez in Liverpool's previous match against Ajax, suggesting the former Benfica man may be third in the pecking order as central striker.
It's hardly what he would have imagined when moving from Portugal to Anfield, especially after causing Fulham all manner of problems after coming off the bench in the 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage on the opening day of the season.
Nunez's only start for his club since his subsequent sending off against Palace has come in the Merseyside derby, where he struggled to make his mark in a goalless draw with Everton. However, he did get on the scoresheet while on international duty last month, netting in Uruguay's 2-0 win over Canada.
Klopp then revealed he left Nunez on the bench for the clash vs Brighton on doctors' orders after he returned from international duty with a slight injury. Facing Rangers in the Champions League on home soil could now be the ideal time for Nunez to be thrown back into the mix, particularly as Klopp will have one eye on the weekend clash with Arsenal.
Speaking ahead of the Rangers clash, Klopp admitted his side were facing a crisis of confidence, but cited the problems of the world's two best players as evidence that bad spells are part and parcel of football.
"Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment is at the top of his confidence?" Klopp replied. "It happens to all of us.
" Lionel Messi last season pretty much the same. You have to take a step in the right direction and when you're ready, it's back (the confidence).
"In individual sports you can fight yourself through it. In team sport, you have to do it together. It can be more complicated."
