“You’re just a s**t Andy Carroll!”
Such a chant is nothing new for Darwin Nunez following his £64m move to Liverpool. Whether he understands it or not is a different story, but it is crystal clear that opposing fans, already taking great joy in Jurgen Klopp’s former mentality monsters’ recent failings, are revelling in the potential club-record signing’s place at the heart of it.
It’s true, the 23-year-old remains raw and he lacks composure in front of goal. For all of the Reds’ poor results, how many might have ended differently had the striker struck away at least one of his ever-growing list of big chances missed.
But he remains Liverpool’s ‘agent of chaos’. While the Reds have looked devoid of ideas at times this season, whenever they do create anything in front of goal, Nunez is right at the heart of it too.
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Except, he wasn’t when Liverpool were at risk of yet another low on Saturday night - this time against Wolves in the FA Cup third round.
Having seen an Alisson Becker howler gift the visitors the lead, the first half was Liverpool at their worst. Slow and sluggish, chasing shadows in midfield, carved open too easily in defence and with their front line left isolated as a result.
In the midst of such woes, Nunez touched the ball just 14 times in a miserable first half - the lowest total of any player on the pitch. Yet he saved his best touch until just before the break to give his side the most almighty wake-up call.
After Trent Alexander-Arnold won possession in midfield, he burst forward before whipping in a pinpoint cross to the far post. Running onto it, the Uruguayan volleyed home and left goalkeeper Matija Sarkic with no chance.
No time to think, the striker’s goal was an instinctive strike at the perfect time when his side needed it most. The sight of him then sprinting halfway around Anfield, screaming his head off to the delight of the roaring Anfield crowd showed how much it meant to him. And made a mockery of the travelling Wolves’ support’s Andy Carroll taunts too.
He now has 10 goals for Liverpool this season from 23 games, with his latest effort taking him to double-figures. While not at Erling Haaland levels, it is the most promising of returns from his maiden season on Merseyside.
In the build-up to the game, all the talk was understandably about the Reds’ January signing, Cody Gakpo. He was afforded the warmest of receptions when his name was read out before kick-off as he was handed his Liverpool debut against Wolves.
Yet his first outing for the club was admittedly quiet, individually at least, despite his involvement in Mohamed Salah’s second half goal.
The Dutchman will get better, no doubt, as he finds his feet at Anfield. This is just the first game as he adapts to life in England, after all. And this is a lesson Liverpool and Nunez already know far too well.
While their season isn’t going to plan, and the fact they now face an FA Cup replay at Molineux proves that once again, at least when it comes to the Uruguayan, their patience and faith is paying off - even if misguided opposition fans still fail to see it.
Let them taunt. Liverpool already know the talent they have in attack. When the Reds desperately needed a goal against Wolves, he was there and stepped up. Not for the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last. That’s why they paid the money.
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