Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez endured another frustrating night on Wednesday, squandering a golden opportunity to secure victory against Aston Villa. The struggling striker’s latest high-profile miss left fans stunned and earned him fresh criticism from pundits.
The Reds initially took the lead at Villa Park through Mohamed Salah, but Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins turned the game around for the home side.
Trent Alexander-Arnold pulled Liverpool level in the 61st minute, prompting manager Arne Slot to introduce Nunez in hopes of snatching a win.
Just minutes after coming on, the Uruguayan had the perfect chance to deliver. Dominik Szoboszlai raced forward on a counterattack and squared the ball to Nunez, leaving him with a simple finish into an open net.
However, under minimal pressure from Villa defender Axel Disasi, Nunez inexplicably sent the ball high and wide, looking visibly frustrated after the blunder.
The 24-year-old has struggled in front of goal this season, netting just four Premier League goals despite playing for the league leaders. ESPN pundit Alejandro Moreno was among those left baffled by Nunez’s inconsistency.
“It’s confidence, but he is so odd, Darwin Nunez,” Moreno remarked. “He misses so many easy chances—tap-ins that should be routine. But then he scores the most ridiculous goals from impossible angles. When he has too much time to think, that’s when the problems start.”
Former Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann echoed those sentiments, suggesting the issue is psychological.
“These moments haunt strikers,” Klinsmann said. “It’s a confidence or concentration issue. He won’t forget that miss for a few nights.”
Slot acknowledged Nunez’s disappointment but emphasized that the team had created an excellent opportunity.
“It was an unbelievable pass from Conor Bradley and a great power run from Szoboszlai,” Slot said post-match. “He made the perfect decision to square it for an open goal chance.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Darwin’s best foot, and he was unlucky. I hoped he’d get another opportunity, but [Emiliano] Martinez made a great challenge.”
Liverpool fans will be hoping that Nunez can rediscover his scoring touch soon, but with misses like this, the doubts surrounding him continue to grow.