Darwin Nunez reveals the truth about Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp emerged from the video controversy

Not for the first time this season, it felt like a missed opportunity for Darwin Nunez.

As Liverpool players and staff gave Jurgen Klopp a hearty ovation as he walked through the guard of honor after his final game in charge of the Reds on Sunday, Nunez was remarkable in keeping his hands close to his body.

It wouldn’t have been particularly notable had Nunez not repeated his stance when Klopp sprinted back to receive the plaudits for a second time.

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Or if a pre-match video showing Klopp’s final team talk in the home dressing room at Anfield hadn’t seen the Uruguayan forward looking somewhat disinterested.

The combination of those factors, and the fact that Nunez spent much of his post-match time on the pitch with his family away from most of his team-mates, was enough for some Liverpool supporters to conclude that the Reds striker was showing signs of being deep. unhappy with life at Anfield – and at least guilty of showing a poor and disrespectful attitude towards the outgoing manager.

With it being just two weeks since Nunez deleted all Liverpool-related images from his social media accounts, being the target of abuse after a couple of lackluster performances, the direction of the move has turned everything towards the player and club they were heading for a mutual breakup. Enough, it seemed, was enough.

Then a video clip emerged of the party at the Titanic Hotel on Sunday night to mark the departure of Klopp and others who are leaving in the summer. And it was Nunez, pushing the Liverpool boss center stage and encouraging him to dance as he was surrounded by a number of colleagues including Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Stefan Bajcetic.

Hardly the sign of someone who is massively at odds with Klopp. And with Nunez now changing his Instagram profile picture to a picture of himself with his family wearing Liverpool’s new home shirt, it looks like concerns about dissent should be allayed.

But not, however, rejected entirely.

Nunez is almost as emotive a soul as Klopp, reflected in his action-packed performances on the pitch, which have wasted no time in making him a fan favourite.

That relationship, however, became strained as a number of missed chances by Nunez proved costly during the Premier League fixture as Liverpool’s unlikely title challenge began to falter terminally. Patience with the Uruguayan’s continued ability to spurn presentable opportunities has worn thin, resulting in the ensuing abuse failing to deliver in the 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month.

Hence the misplaced intrigue over Nunez’s body language and actions on Klopp’s final day.

Regardless, there are obvious concerns for the striker. For the second consecutive season, he finished the campaign largely on the sidelines, usurped by Cody Gakpo as the spearhead of the attack, starting just one of the last seven games. Last quarter, two of the bottom 10 missed the bottom three due to injury.

Nunez has managed 18 goals and 13 assists in 54 appearances in all competitions this season, but his last goal contribution came at Manchester United six weeks ago.

While Arne Slot’s imminent arrival will provide a free solution for Nunez and Liverpool’s entire squad deal with any personal disputes with the now-departed staff, the manager will already be looking to video footage to better understand the players he is targeting to inherit them. .

Nunez has long proven he has the ability to lead Liverpool’s attack and has gained greater tactical discipline this season, no longer just the chaos generator who excited and frustrated in equal measure. Consistency in converting big chances continues to elude him, however.

From Dean Saunders, Stan Collymore and Robbie Keane to Mario Balotelli and Christian Benteke, history suggests that Liverpool’s forwards do not make it to a third season at Anfield. With any potential grudges with Klopp now irrelevant, the first impression Nunez makes on Slot could go a long way in determining whether he eventually joins that list.