“He may get there. It might be confidence” – Rio Ferdinand highlights concern about Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez despite goal against West Ham

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is yet to be fully convinced by Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez this season. This is despite the Uruguayan's goal against West Ham United in the Premier League on October 19.

Nunez scored the only goal of the game for the Reds in a 1-0 home win. He headed home a Konstantinos Tsimikas cross in the 22nd minute.

He was signed from Benfica during the summer transfer window for a fee of €75 million that could potentially rise to club-record €100 million.

The 23-year-old has scored five goals and provided one assist in 12 games since his move but has majorly struggled with the Reds so far.

Ferdinand recently termed the attacker as bullish but is yet to be convinced by his finishing. He said on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand presents FIVE (via HITC):

"He’s hitting a bit of form now and if Klopp wants anyone scoring outside of Salah, it is Nunez. Classy is not the word I would use to describe him, he’s a handful, he’s bullish, aggressive, wants the battle, contact, he wants to run in behind and make it uncomfortable for defenders."

He added:

"His finishing, his execution isn’t quite clean, yet. He may get there. It might be confidence. At Benfica, there was still a rough edge around him. He can grow into that.”

Nunez scored 34 goals in 41 matches for Benfica in all competitions last season, earning himself a move to Liverpool in the summer.

---

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacted to Darwin Nunez scoring his first goal at Anfield

Liverpool FC v West Ham United - Premier League

The strike against West Ham United marked Darwin Nunez's first goal at Anfield. Here's how Jurgen Klopp reacted to the goal (via liverpoolfc.com):

"It is important. He has scored now a couple of times in the last few games. He arrived 100 per cent, now even with numbers, which is fine. He felt a little bit the muscles at half-time but it was all fine and after five minutes [of the second half] I was just a bit concerned about long sprints for him and balls where he stretches his legs."

Klopp then subbed off Nunez in the 57th minute. The German tactician further added on Nunez being substituted:

"I thought, ‘Come on, we cannot take that risk’ and that’s why we changed. But then because West Ham are a set-piece team as well, we needed to make sure we had enough players who can withstand that, so that’s why the two other changes came as well. In the end, when we changed another two times, then we controlled it again."

Liverpool will next face Nottingham Forest away on October 22.