Liverpool fans on X have sharply criticized Darwin Núñez following his poor performance in the 3-3 draw against Newcastle United on December 4 at St. James’ Park. A significant portion of the fanbase expressed frustration, with some even suggesting the Uruguayan forward should be sold.
The Premier League match was filled with drama, as Newcastle initially took the lead with a long-range strike from Alexander Isak in the 35th minute. Liverpool equalized early in the second half through Curtis Jones in the 50th minute. After Newcastle regained the lead in the 62nd minute thanks to Anthony Gordon, Mohamed Salah turned the tide with two quick goals in the 68th and 83rd minutes, putting Liverpool ahead. However, a late equalizer from Fabian Schär in the 90th minute left Liverpool with just one point after a mistake by goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher on a free-kick.
While Salah’s performance earned praise, Núñez’s display left fans bitterly disappointed. The 25-year-old striker was largely ineffective, completing only eight passes with a 67% accuracy, creating no chances, and missing two clear opportunities. He failed to hit the target with any of his three shots and lost seven duels during the match. This lackluster performance adds to his underwhelming season so far, with just three goals and two assists in 18 appearances.
Fans on X were vocal in their dissatisfaction:
- “Biggest flop we’ve ever had, not good at anything.”
- “Rip up Nunez’s contract to give to Salah.”
- “We should be 5 goals up.”
- “Back to being dogs**t again. How did he even make it as a striker hahahaha.”
- “Darwin Nuñez missed 2 BIG chances today. He also had the least touches of any outfield player that played 90 minutes today. There are better options out there & the club has to start looking at them seriously.”
Despite Núñez’s struggles, Liverpool’s overall play was promising. They held 59% possession, completed 446 passes with 87% accuracy, and took 16 shots, five of which were on target, hitting the woodwork twice. In contrast, Newcastle had 41% possession, 278 passes, and registered 17 shots, with a slightly higher xG of 1.72 compared to Liverpool’s 1.44.
Liverpool remain at the top of the Premier League with 35 points from 14 matches, seven points ahead of second-placed Chelsea. However, this result highlighted some vulnerabilities as they continue their title push.
