Jurgen Klopp says Darwin Nunez only ‘needed’ time at Liverpool

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on forward Darwin Nunez following the player’s stunning form in pre-season.

Nunez scored his fourth goal in three preseason outings as Liverpool trounced Leicester at the Singapore National Stadium.

The 24-year-old started and scored in Liverpool’s 4-0 triumph over Leicester on Sunday, as the Reds maintained their undefeated pre-season record. The Reds also got goals from Bobby Clark, Diogo Jota, and Ben Doak.

However, Nunez’s performance once again drew attention as the Uruguayan continued his outstanding scoring streak, having now scored four times in three pre-season matches. He also added an assist to his brace in the Reds’ 4-4 draw with Greuther Furth on Monday.

Nunez’s other goal came in a 4-2 win over Karlsruher, as the forward settled into the Liverpool lineup following a difficult debut season. And now, Klopp has stated that the ex-Benfica forward would start against Chelsea on August 13.

“Sometimes a player needs more time, that’s how it is,” Klopp said after the win over Leicester.

“You can see he is a handful, with his speed, his goal being there, smelling it and finishing it off. In training, he has looked very good. Now two more games then Chelsea.”

Liverpool’s next pre-season match is against Bayern Munich on August 7, followed by a meeting against Darmstadt at Preston’s Deepdale on August 14.