Thierry Henry has heaped praise on Darwin Nunez after his goalscoring cameo against Napoli in the Champions League - likening the Liverpool forward to Alexis Sanchez and Luis Suarez.
After starting three of the last four games, Nunez was named as a substitute for the Reds' Group A finale against the Serie A leaders. And even despite being introduced with 73 minutes gone at Anfield, the Uruguayan proved to be too much of a handful for Napoli as he forced a defensive error from Alex Meret for Mohamed Salah to open the scoring before adding a stoppage-time strike to his impressive early-season tally and seal a 2-0 win for Jurgen Klopp's side.
Having arrived on Merseyside for a £64m fee from Benfica during the summer, life hasn't been straightforward for the 23-year-old Nunez, who was sent off on his maiden Anfield appearance for Liverpool. Additionally, struggles with confidence inside Klopp's squad, which has seen the Reds win just four of their opening 12 Premier League games, has impacted Nunez's ability to make a seamless transition to life in England.
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But in the absence of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, who have both been ruled out of pre-World Cup action due to long-term injuries, Liverpool's No.27 has begun to find form and subsequently hit five goals in his last seven outings for his new side, despite displaying raw qualities.
And former Premier League invincible and Hall of Fame tenant Henry insists Nunez will become a handful for defenders around the continent once he is guaranteed a succession of starts.
"I think he needs confidence," the Arsenal legend said speaking on CBS. "The confidence I'm talking about is when you are at a club, and you feel like you are going to play week in, week out, you are a bit colder in front of the goal.
"Because he wants to please so much - and do so much - and wow the Liverpool fans he rushes it. He gets the ball and rushes it instead of controlling the ball and going back on his right foot or finishing it clean. I went through that; when you arrive, big signing, you're coming after Sadio Mane - that's not easy to do - and you overdo it at times instead of being calm and cool."
Henry added: "He's more the type of guy [that] when he gets one [goal] things will come. Is he a finisher like Robbie Fowler? I don't think he is a finisher like Robbie Fowler. Not a lot of people were like Robbie Fowler, in fairness. But he has goals in him, he's a bit more of a handful. A bit like Alexis Sanchez or a young Luis Suarez, where you felt like things were bouncing off him. When you start to master what you're good at you can control it better, and when that will happen to him I think he can be a handful.
"This Liverpool side is a bit different because the team waits, you are playing in the last third and he needs to adapt to that. Which isn't easy."
Nunez rose to stardom last season during Benfica's run to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they were eventually knocked out by Liverpool. The Uruguayan impressed as he fired goals against Barcelona, Bayern Munich and his new employers both home and away. In total, he scored 34 goals in his final campaign in Portugal before moving to England.
Nunez's introduction to life on Merseyside was far from charming as he was sent off on his Anfield debut against Crystal Palace. However, since serving his three-match suspension Nunez has netted six goals in 13 games.
His strike in Tuesday evening's triumph over Napoli continued the Reds' fine form in the Champions League since losing the reverse fixture in September. Nunez and his team-mates will learn of their round of 16 opponents when the draw is made on Monday, November 7.
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