Darwin Núñez: "I Never Throw The Towel In"

Today at 12:30 PM

Liverpool's Uruguayan striker has struggled for minutes and form in front of goal the season, but he vows he will never stop putting in the work.

It did not take long for Darwin Núñez to make himself into a cult favorite with the Liverpool supporters after joining the club in the summer of 2022. The affable Uruguayan threw himself into the club with his whole heart, earning the respect of many despite a penchant for streaky finishing.

Núñez seemed to turn a corner last season, lashing in 11 goals and 8 assists in the Premier League. Many felt he would thrive in the new system under Arne Slot, who previously deployed a mobile number 9 as a point striker to lead the line with great effect in his system at Feyenoord. Instead, Darwin has struggled for consistent minutes this season, and has missed more than his fair share of seemingly simple goals, though still banging in some worldies. With the game on the line against Bournemouth on Saturday, however, Darwin came on as a late substitute and left as the hero after smashing in two very late simple finishes in extra time to give Liverpool the win. After the match, Darwin provided some very candid insights into how he has dealt with his struggles this season.

"I think you have to stay mentally strong, never give up," the striker stated.

"There are moments that are very difficult for us players - for me, it's right now, but I never throw the towel in. I always carry on working in training. If I need to stay to practice more, I stay, to improve."

"I think the work that I do on the pitch to help the team, to defend as well, I think I've always done it well. But I haven't scored goals and I know people look at that: the striker has to score goals."

Darwin's can-do attitude and no-quit effort have been two of the traits that have endeared him to supporters. though his vigorous attempts at challenges have sometimes left people shaking their heads. It is not often, however, that you hear a player openly discussing how difficult it can be when things are not going well individually, especially when the club as a whole is thriving. Núñez notes that the support of family and supporters, who frequently serenade the player for his efforts, have a big impact on his positivity.

"The truth is that I'm going through a rough patch and like I said before, I always stay focused on my job and I'm always going to give everything for Liverpool. It's really important to keep my head up and to always say, 'OK, I've got to work because I need to improve.' And I stay strong with this mentality and with the support of my family and of course the fans, who are incredible."

"Now I have to keep on working. These two goals will definitely help to build my confidence. I'm very happy with the win for the team."

With Diogo Jota frequently dealing with niggles, and Luis Diaz struggling at times to impact the match as the point forward, there should be opportunities for Darwin Núñez to provide an impact for the club during the run in as it competes on four fronts. Let's hope the two goal performance against Bournemouth is just the start of a purple patch for Darwin in front of goal.