Liverpool’s defence will improve – but they need Nunez to propel them up Premier League

Shoulders hunched, Darwin Nunez cut a forlorn figure as he walked off the turf and disappeared down the tunnel at the Etihad Stadium.

The Carabao Cup holders had been knocked out of the competition by Manchester City and the Liverpool striker had the look of a man who knew he could and should have ensured the outcome was different.

Jurgen Klopp focused his attention elsewhere. The manager bemoaned his side’s painfully slow start that handed City the initiative and the shoddy defending that contributed to the three goals they conceded.

“They were all completely unnecessary,” he said. “We had to be more switched on.”

Klopp had a point. Joe Gomez was caught napping for Erling Haaland’s opener and an alarming lack of communication and organisation then contributed to Riyad Mahrez and Nathan Ake scoring. Liverpool were the architects of their own downfall. It was far too easy to get at them.

Yet it’s putting things right at the other end of the pitch which is arguably the biggest priority ahead of their Premier League campaign resuming against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Defensively, Liverpool will be stronger. The imminent return to action of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk will ensure that’s the case. The injection of quality and leadership will be sizeable. Centre-back Ibrahima Konate, who featured in the World Cup final for France, will report back to Kirkby at the start of next week.

However, in attack it’s a different story. Klopp’s options are less plentiful. The cavalry aren’t on the way. As if losing Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz to long-term injuries wasn’t bad enough, Roberto Firmino then limped out of training earlier this week after taking a kick to his calf.

The problem is understood to be only minor but the Brazilian’s absence places even more responsibility on Nunez.

Liverpool really need him to help propel them back towards the Champions League places. What they don’t need is the Uruguayan’s confidence taking a battering.

Prior to the World Cup, the signs were highly promising. Nunez scored seven goals in 10 appearances before heading off to Qatar. He seemed more composed, more polished, more in tune with what Klopp wanted from him with and without the ball, especially when he delivered a match-winning double against Southampton just before the break in the domestic season.

However, there was plenty of frustration for him at the tournament as he failed to score and his misfiring national team exited at the group stage.

Netting twice in last week’s friendly victory over AC Milan in Dubai put a smile back on his face but with the stakes higher at the Etihad he fluffed his lines.

The former Benfica striker, who cost Liverpool an initial fee of £64 million last summer, could have walked away clutching the matchball. Instead he left wondering how on earth he had nothing to show for his efforts.

This was the raw, erratic Nunez – the rough diamond in need of some serious polishing. There was still plenty to admire, not least his pace and power as he frequently darted in behind City’s backline. He makes things happen. He’s always involved.

He unselfishly put Liverpool’s second equaliser on a plate for Mohamed Salah after he had latched on to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s pin-point pass and sped away from Aymeric Laporte down the inside left channel.

But when it came to hitting the target himself, he was wild. Nunez seems at his best when he’s playing off instinct. When he has time to really think about what he’s doing he tends to be wasteful.

That was certainly the case against City. He had four shots (no other Liverpool player had more than one), but none of them forced a save from goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. He also only won four of his nine duels.

Twice, at 1-1 and then 3-2 down, Nunez found himself through on goal after timing his run perfectly but he dragged his shot wide. On another occasion he turned Andy Robertson’s inviting free-kick past the post. His other attempt was blocked by Laporte.

Nunez is an emotional guy. He takes things to heart and Liverpool can’t afford for him to dwell on what might have been.

There was the welcome sight of left-sided attacker Fabio Carvalho restoring parity the first time with a clinical finish after Joel Matip and James Milner had fashioned the opportunity, but the youngster is clearly still a work in progress. At times he was brushed off the ball far too easily and he didn’t return for the second half.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was making just his fourth appearance of the season, did well as Carvalho’s replacement before appearing to run out of steam late on. As Klopp made changes, Naby Keita featured for the first time since July’s Community Shield. Midfield duo Jordan Henderson and Fabinho also got minutes under their belt after their World Cup adventures. The need to bring in another dynamic midfielder during the January window is glaring.

“Spectacular,” was how Klopp described the latest gripping instalment between these two rivals. There was no disgrace in defeat. The priority is climbing the Premier League table. That mission should be helped by the absence of further Carabao Cup fixtures in January.

But Klopp’s pressing concern is to lift Nunez’s chin off the floor. Defensively, Liverpool will look very different at Villa Park. Attacking wise, the personnel will be similar but they need a more clinical edge.

(Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)