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Darwin Nunez could give Arne Slot the ultimate selection headache after Bournemouth masterclass

Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrating after scoring the third goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on September 21, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
-Credit: (Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)


Darwin Nunez became the fifth Liverpool forward to find the net this season as he curled a beauty into the corner against Bournemouth. With only new signing Federico Chiesa yet to score, Arne Slot is on the horns of an almighty selection dilemma.

Of course, it's not only a welcome conundrum, but one he has actively courted. In adding Chiesa to an attack that already contained Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz, Slot underlined his credentials as a coach who likes to have options in the final third.

Even so, he probably did not expect to be facing such a massvie crossroads so soon. Amid a strong opening to the campaign, the starting front three was beginning to look relatively settled, but Nunez might just have changed all that.

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Even at such an early stage, things were beginning to look bleak for Nunez. Until the Bournemouth game, he had been limited to short cameos off the bench, with eyebrows raised when Slot did not use the Champions League fixture in midweek to give the Uruguayan a chance.

In hindsight, Slot must have had the weekend in mind. And it seems he chose the perfect moment to hand Nunez his first start, as the striker found the net to effectively finish the contest in the first half following a Diaz brace.

It was an all-round impressive performance from Nunez, who showcased exactly why Liverpool sanctioned a potential record transfer fee a little over two years ago. With that outlay in mind, getting the best out of the 25-year-old was a significant part of Slot's brief when he took the reins at Anfield.

Naturally, Nunez still needs to earn his starts. But while Jota has had the jersey on merit, that might have just shifted.

Diogo Jota of Liverpool arriving before the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield on September 21, 2024 in Liverpool, England.
Diogo Jota was an unused substitute against Bournemouth. -Credit:Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

The reason this is such a huge headache for Slot is because Jota is surely too good to be relegated to the bench. But you could have said the same about Nunez, and having such a strong squad necessitates tough calls.

Ultimately, Nunez is always going to be good for generating more chances than Jota. The reason you'd pick the former Wolves man is his knack for putting them away, something he has not really been doing at the start of the Slot era.

If it's one or the other, then Nunez has probably earned a run at it after his success against Bournemouth. The presence of Jota means long droughts simply cannot and will not be indulged, so his place is far from safe, but that logic goes both ways.

The alternative is somehow accommodating both of them. But while Slot did flirt with something akin to a front four at the start of pre-season, when options were limited, his 4-2-3-1 has brought early balance and control — abandoning that would not be a straightforward way out of the dilemma.

And if there are only three attackers, then Diaz has made himself undroppable. Salah should not be totally immune from pressure, especially once Chiesa gets up to speed, but he has obviously earned starting status too. Finally given his chance, Nunez has staked a claim for the third spot that might just relegate Jota for the time being.

Liverpool.com says: Having not even come off the bench against Bournemouth, Jota is likely to get a chance to respond in midweek in the Carabao Cup. He will be keen to regain his status.

But as things stand, Nunez might just have edged in front. The only way to handle such an abundance of talent is to go with the ones in the best form.

Hopefully, this fierce competition gets the best out of both players. You do wonder if what Nunez needs more than anything is a settled place in the side, but he cannot have that luxury at one of the biggest clubs in the world — he needs to earn his spot, and he just made the perfect start.