Since moving to Liverpool from SL Benfica three years ago, Darwin Nunez’s finishing has been continuously criticised, but he still owns a Premier League record that will be difficult to surpass. He is an indecisive figure in the Anfield echo chamber.
Nunez, who was born in Artigas, came to Liverpool for a hefty sum of £85 million in the summer of 2022 after repeatedly taking centre stage in Portugal, but his 137-game stint hasn’t gone well.
However, that hasn’t stopped the 25-year-old queue leader from setting a record that is difficult to beat; it’s unclear if anyone will be able to match or surpass it. However, the star who was born in 1999 currently has it.
Nunez continues to hold the absurd Premier League record.
In January 2024, the Uruguayan set it against Chelsea.
Despite being a skilled shot at Benfica, as demonstrated by his 48 goals in 85 games for the Primeira Liga team, this hasn’t translated to his time in England, as he frequently struggles to hit the target at close range.
The most absurd aspect of that record is that he accomplished it with a variety of different efforts, including a header, a penalty-spot attempt, a shot with his right foot, and a shot with his left foot. This only serves to highlight how exceptional his record is.
First, the 35-cap Uruguayan, who is among the Premier League’s highest-paid strikers, surged forward and used his favourite right foot to launch a pack-a-punch attack. Although it missed the crossbar, it had defeated Djordje Petrovic of Chelsea.
Nunez also grabbed Ibrahima Konate’s pass and hit the ball with his left foot without thinking twice. Petrovic was able to palm it this time, causing the ball to veer towards the back post. Once more, he was turned away.
After Diogo Jota was impeded in the Chelsea penalty area, Nunez, who has scored 40 goals and provided 24 assists in his 137-game Reds career, was handed the ideal opportunity to score. He moved up from a distance of twelve yards.
The woodwork was hit for the third time at Anfield. The ball bounced away from any possible danger when Petrovic’s attempt struck the outside of the right post as he dove the wrong way, leaving half of the goal open.
Even worse, in the 75th minute, an unmarked Nunez came in just in time to meet Andy Robertson’s inch-perfect cross, but the outcome remained the same for the fourth time. To the surprise of the Anfield supporters, his well-placed header was rejected, making the crossbar his worst enemy.
Check out Nunez’s collection of woodworking hits below:
Fortunately for Nunez, who was brought in under previous Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage, Liverpool defeated the Blues 4-1, but that scoreline might have appeared more credible had he been wearing his shooting boots!
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