If Jurgen Klopp put together a Liverpool handover for Arne Slot on his way out of Anfield, it might have included an instruction manual on how to defuse a furious Darwin Nunez.
Only the German knows how many times he’s been forced to step in as a peacemaker when tempers have flared. Pep Guardiola would know as well after finding himself the target of the 25-year-old’s ire in the past.
Nunez has earned a reputation for being something of a hot-head, with one red card and 15 yellows in his 112 appearances for the Reds.
The £85million striker hasn’t quite built on his initial promise at Anfield after his club-record transfer from Benfica in July 2022. That deal included a £64m fee being paid up front, with add-ons and instalments to follow in the future.
Two of them have already been paid, amounting to a total of £12.8m. Liverpool forked out £4.3m when Nunez made 10 appearances and coughed up another £8.5m when he reached 60 appearances, which coincided with the infamous Guardiola tangle.
The final £8.5m will be dependent on whether they succeed in the Premier League or Champions League and if Nunez starts firing in front of goal. Right now, there’s no guarantee of that.
The Uruguayan’s paltry return of three goals in 15 appearances this season, of which eight have been starts, explains why he is not a regular. Worryingly, he’s now been cautioned as many times as he’s found the net for the Merseyside outfit.
As Slot prepares to take on Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, he may well be considering whether or not to take the gamble in handing Nunez a starting berth.
Almost a year to the day since Nunez clashed with Guardiola, Liverpool and City meet again in another title showdown – only this time, the Reds are firmly in the ascendancy. Eight points clear, 10 wins from 12 and only one defeat so far this season.
It’s going so swimmingly for Slot that starting a fired-up Nunez now represents something of a risk. The Uruguayan offers pace, height and power up front, but he’s often a target for defenders as they look to wind up the explosive striker.
He isn’t afraid to get entangled in a scrap with coaches either, as shown by his scuffle with Guardiola during last year’s fixture.
While the pair initially clasped hands somewhat amicably when spotting each other after the final whistle, they had to be separated by Klopp as they exchanged words in their native Spanish.
Klopp said of Nunez’s clash: “I’m not sure I’m the one who should explain it. I wasn’t the one involved – surprisingly. I love them both and I was just trying to keep them apart. I didn’t understand a word but it’s emotion. That’s all. Pep wants to win, we want to win.”
Guardiola told Sky Sports that “nothing happened”, before later adding in his press conference: “He is stronger than me! There is no problem.”
Liverpool don’t need to beat City. In fact, if any team needs a win, it’s Guardiola’s side. They’ve lost five games in a row – the first time that’s happened in his managerial career – and are coming off a 4-0 thrashing from a mediocre Tottenham side.
The league leaders just need to ensure they don’t lose the game, or give any kind of encouragement for a City fightback. They’ve already spent a huge amount to sign Nunez – they can’t afford to add throwing away the title on top of that.
