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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Mark Wakefield & James Quinlan

Michael Owen says a Didier Drogba situation is unfolding at Liverpool with 'top' potential

Former Liverpool star Michael Owen has compared Darwin Nunez's initial months in the Premier League to those of Didier Drogba.

The Reds striker scored Liverpool’s opening goal in their Champions League tie against Real Madrid on Tuesday night. It proved to be an early consolation strike on the night, as Jurgen Klopp’s side lost 5-2 at Anfield.

Nunez, who arrived in a deal worth up to £85.5m last summer, has now scored in back-to-back appearances following his goal against Newcastle last weekend. The 23-year-old has now bagged 12 goals in 29 appearances in his debut campaign on Merseyside.

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Owen was working as a pundit for Liverpool’s defeat to Madrid on Tuesday night. Talking about Nunez, Owen claimed ‘a lot of coaching’ will be needed for the Uruguay international but his potential is significant.

“I didn’t think he’d be that raw when he came to Liverpool,” Owen told BT Sport.

“I thought paying that money, when I watched him here in the Champions League last year he was absolutely brilliant, and he does things that take your breath away.

“He is going to have to be coached to be a top player.

“The player I’d probably liken him to - not in the same style - but when Didier Drogba came to these shores people laughed at him for the first year or so. His touch was awful, he made a lot of mistakes, but he just got used to it.

“I think that this lad can be similar, he’s really, really raw and it’s going to take a lot of coaching, but he’s got the hallmarks of being a top player.”

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