Jurgen Klopp urges Darwin Nunez to better deal with ‘really physical’ Premier League defenders and use his speech towards him against them… with the striker set to return for the Merseyside derby after serving a three-match ban
- Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp urges Darwin Nunez to deal better with defenders
- Klopp believes the striker will be targeted by defenders trying to send him off.
- Núñez was sent off against Crystal Palace for a header on Joachim Andersen
- The Uruguayan will be available for the national team against Everton after ending the suspension
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wants Darwin Nunez to take advantage of being attacked by opposition defenders in his favor.
The Reds striker returns to the fold for Saturday’s Merseyside derby at Everton after serving a three-match ban for his red card on his debut at home against Crystal Palace.
The former Benfica player lost his cool and headed Joachim Andersen, earning him an instant dismissal in the clash on 15 August.
Darwin Núñez was sent off against Crystal Palace for heading defender Joachim Andersen
Jurgen Klopp has urged the summer signing from Benfica to be prepared to be antagonized
The eyes of the Premier League defenders would have lit up when they saw how easily the 23-year-old was unleashed and they will surely try to antagonize him.
But Klopp says that if the opposition cares about trying to get a reaction out of Nunez, then he can take advantage.
“Our ideas and how we want to think in these situations is that we pay with football, and that’s how it is,” he said.
Nunez will face Everton defenders James Tarkwoski (left) and Cono Coady (right)
“I don’t think (James) Tarkowski and (Conor) Coady are famous for talking too much during the game. Most of the stuff he doesn’t understand anyway, but you don’t have to get too creative with that.
‘I don’t think the two boys are like that, but who knows? We will see.
“If Darwin plays, then he has to be ready for these things, definitely, that’s for sure, but when a player talks to you a lot or is very physical, then he’s not on his own game, and he (Nuñez) has to use this guy. of moments too.
Núñez joined Liverpool from Benfica during the summer transfer window for a club record fee
“If the other is too busy wanting to distract him, you just have to use him from a football point of view.”
“For the Crystal Palace game, when the defender is looking for this constant contact, then go from there and decide when you start the move, this kind of thing.”
Klopp revealed that he has spoken with the Uruguayan about controlling his emotions, but he has not gone overboard.
Núñez has not played since the match against Palace due to a Premier League suspension
“He is a wonderful young man, honestly, but he also has emotions,” he added. So when he made a mistake, we didn’t talk to him for the whole 15 days about it saying, ‘You have to calm down.’
“I think Luis Suarez told him, I’m not sure they talked privately, but they probably did it through the news and using some media. That will happen but it happens to others too, that’s right, you just have to ignore it and use it.
“It was a lot that came together for the kid, it’s all new, it was the first home game, a lot of emotion, the emotional level you go into a game is already high, you don’t need to be a little too emotional.
‘The two weeks helped for sure, you can see it. Will it ever happen again? I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure nothing will happen in the next game.
