‘I went through it’ - Thierry Henry explains what Darwin Nunez has been doing wrong at Liverpool

Darwin Nunez joined Liverpool from Benfica in the summer transfer window and has scored seven goals so far.
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Thierry Henry is adamant Darwin Nunez will become a Liverpool success - but first needs to add calmness to his game.

Nunez joined the Reds for an initial fee of £64 million from Benfica in the summer transfer window.

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The striker has had an up-and-down start to his Anfield career so far, having yet to nail down a regular starting spot.

However, he came off the bench to score his seven goal of the season in Tuesday night's 2-0 Champions League defeat of Napoli at Anfield.

Given the price tag he arrived for - coupled with replacing Sadio Mane and Erling Haaland making a remarkable start at Manchester City - there has been a significant amount scrutiny on Nunez so far.

Henry, speaking as a pundit on CBS Sports, thinks those comparisons are unfair but did have some words of advice for Nunez.

What’s been said

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The former Arsenal and Barcelona striker said: “I think he needs confidence and the confidence that I'm talking about is when you're at a club and feel like you're going to play week in and week out. You're a bit more cold in front of goal because he wants to please so much and do so much and he wants to wow the Liverpool fans. Sometimes he rushes it.

Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates after scoring their team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield on November 01, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates after scoring their team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield on November 01, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates after scoring their team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Liverpool FC and SSC Napoli at Anfield on November 01, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

"I went through that. When you come in as a big signing and just overdo it at times. Coming in after Sadio Mane, that's not easy to do and you just overdo it instead of being calm and finishing. You can feel that in some of his attempts on goal, where the best chance is actually him laying it off to an open Liverpool attacker instead of firing a tame shot at the keeper or over the bar.

“But when he scores more goals for the team, each one will provide a level of confidence and allow Klopp to play him with more freedom as well. It's especially hard for Nunez when what he does will be compared to Erling Haaland at Manchester City due to both coming to the Premier League on expensive deals in the same summer, but they're two very different soccer players.

“Haaland doesn't need as many touches as Nunez to impact a game, as he's a clinical shooter instead of a volume shooter like Nunez, but where Nunez makes up for things is by popping up and shooting from everywhere to maximize his chances each match. Pressing for chances has seen Nunez's shot accuracy fall from Portugal, but once it clicks, it will in a big way.

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"He's the type of guy where when he gets one then things will come. I don't think he's a finisher like Robbie Fowler but not a lot of people are finishers like Robbie Fowler, but he has goals in him. He's a bit more of a handful.

"Sometimes he will rush up a bit like Alexis Sanchez or a young Luis Suarez when you felt like things were bounding off of him and stuff like that but when you start to master what you're good at, then you can control it better. And I think that will happen to him. I think he can do that."