Alisson Becker has praised Liverpool matchwinner Darwin Nunez and backed the striker to do big things at Anfield
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and goalkeeper Alisson Becker talk after the 2-1 win at Newcastle United on August 27 2023 (Image: Sky Sports)×
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Alisson Becker has revealed the message Liverpool players have been drumming into Darwin Nunez – and believes the striker is only starting to tap into his “huge” potential.
Nunez came off the bench to score a late double and earn the 10-man Reds a dramatic 2-1 Premier League win at Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
The Uruguayan, a potential club record £85million arrival from Benfica last summer, has struggled for game time since April with a lack of form, injury and the competition for places in attack meaning he has started only three of the 14 games in which Jurgen Klopp’s side are now unbeaten.
And Alisson has pointed to the affection for Nunez within the squad and fanbase and why learning the value of patience can be crucial in the 24-year-old’s development.
“Darwin, we have to talk about him,” said the goalkeeper. “Two amazing goals that he created. It wasn’t easy to finish those two situations off. But he did it in an amazing way.
“This guy is amazing. He had a lot of expectations on him about his performances from supporters, from everyone, from his team-mates, from us, from the start because he is really good. He has a huge potential, but he is still young. He needs time.
“We have to be patient with him and we have to support him in a way that he feels that. We are really there supporting him, in the hard moments we are there for him, the South Americans are there for him, all the team-mates we are there for him and I see the supporters as well.
“Everybody loves him when he comes into a game, everybody starts to shout his name – ‘Nunez! Nunez!’ – and we make a few jokes with him about that as well. But I said to him so many times, ‘people at Liverpool here they love you, they want you to do well and you need to be patient’. I think he is showing that and being patient.
“But this guy has a fire inside of him, he has a lot of desire to play more, to be decisive for the team. It’s not a selfish thought. He just wants really to help the team to make big things, to win games and win trophies. This is the kind of mentality you can get from Darwin as this guy is on fire and I hope he can keep this performance from now on.”
Liverpool were already a goal down to Anthony Gordon’s strike on Sunday when they were reduced to 10 men after 28 minutes following a red card for Virgil van Dijk. However, a string of saves from Alisson kept the Reds in with a chance of their late intervention, the highlight being a remarkable stop to turn a first-half thunderbolt from Miguel Almiron on to the crossbar.
And, speaking to LFC TV, Alisson said: “I’ve been in football for a long time now and I know sometimes you can make a really good save and things go in a good direction for the team. Sometimes you make an amazing save for the team and they go in a bad direction. Anything can happen. I just try to be focused on the next ball to try and keep helping the team.”
