“Give him time to settle” - Jurgen Klopp backs under fire Liverpool star to come good next season

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged fans and pundits to give Darwin Nunez time to settle in with the club and the Premier League.

The Reds signed Nunez from Benfica last summer for a club-record €100 million. The Uruguayan striker has scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 42 games across competitions this season. He has put in some good performances over the course of the campaign but his finishing has garnered criticism from fans and pundits alike.

Klopp, however, has backed his striker, claiming that he needs time to settle in with a different club, league, and country. He said (via Fabrizio Romano):

“Give him time to settle, it’s so difficult to come into a team which isn't clicking. Darwin would have scored 20+ goals had we been having a normal season. He needs time to adapt - he had that at Benfica, there was no language issue."

Despite his struggles, Nunez is Liverpool's joint second-top scorer in the Premier League this season with Roberto Firmino, both scoring nine goals. Mohamed Salah tops the chart for the Reds with 19 league goals.

The Reds have had an underwhelming 2022-23 campaign overall. They will finish the season trophyless after having competed for a quadruple last season, winning the FA and the Carabao Cup in the process.

Liverpool are currently fifth in the league table, four points behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

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Liverpool star explains his new position

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled immensely in the first half of the season. His defensive lapses were heavily criticized and he failed to make an impact in the attack as well.

However, he has improved in recent weeks due to a position switch. He provided six assists in April itself and was voted the Reds Player of the Month by the club's supporters.

Alexander-Arnold now often drifts into midfield when in possession to influence the game. He is able to get on the ball more often and help in attack. Explaining his new position, the Englishman said (via Liverpool's official website):

"To be honest, I don’t know what you’d call it – people have different terms and different interpretations of it. I think I just play it the way the manager tells me to and the way I feel it needs to be played."

He added:

"But yeah, it’s getting on the ball more centrally, being able to impact the game in a central area and just having that freedom within there to express myself and help the team win games. I think it’s been a big effort from a lot of the lads who have been asked to do different things, it’s not just me, and I think everyone’s adapted to it really well."

Alexander-Arnold has contributed three goals and nine assists in 44 games across competitions for Liverpool this season. He will next be in action against Leicester City away on Monday, May 15.

Alexander-Arnold is the only player to have assisted in five league games in a row on two occasions in the same Premier League season.