Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has highlighted Darwin Nunez’ ‘physical presence’ as the main difference between Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino.
Liverpool host Palace at Anfield tonight in the Reds’ first home game of the new season, and Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to improve on last weekend’s lacklustre 2-2 draw at Fulham. Despite the disappointing result, one shining light was the ease with which summer-signing Nunez settled into Premier League football with a goal and an assist at Craven Cottage.
Klopp’s hand has seemingly been forced regarding who to start, with Firmino a surprise omission from tonight’s squad alongside Diogo Jota, but 23-year-old Nunez’ impact last weekend looked to have put him in pole position nevertheless. And Palace boss Vieira has highlighted the Uruguayan’s presence in the penalty area as a key difference between the two.
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“It’s less mobility than Firmino, he’s not going to come to play between the lines he will be the main target,” Vieira told Sky Sports of Nunez. “Running in behind and a more physical presence inside the box. But we believe we have what it takes to defend well but what we must do first is defend the crosses and the balls inside the box.”
Vieira has made one change from their opening-day defeat to Arsenal, replacing Odsonne Eduoard with Joel Ward and switching to a back-five. Asked for his tactical reasoning for the switch, the former Arsenal midfielder claimed he needed another body to defend against the deadly front–three of Nunez, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.
“What would be important for us tonight would be play as a team,” Vieira added. “We know that during the game you’re going to go through a difficult period, it’s about playing well and managing those difficult spells together. If we do that we have a chance because we can create chances, score goals, we need to stay in the game as long as we can.
“We know how difficult it is to defend against those three forwards. We needed to kill the space in the wide area but when you defend five at the back you need to give up something but it’s about the shape, the organisation and how determined we are to compete against Liverpool.”
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