'People may have a go at me for this': Robbie Fowler's frank verdict on Liverpool star amid exit speculation

Liverpool finally have their first win of 2025 in the bank after their 4-0 victory over Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup. There were plenty of individual moments to celebrate throughout the match but one player in particular has come under fire from Robbie Fowler.

Arne Slot was able to offer some rest to key players like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch when Liverpool welcomed Accrington Stanley to Anfield on Saturday. The trio were left completely out of the match day squad, opening the door for starts for the likes of Tyler Morton and Rio Ngumoha.

It was a comfortable win against the League Two side, with plenty of rotation throughout the match. Rising star Jayden Danns got himself on the scoresheet after replacing debutant Ngumoha, and Federico Chiesa finally enjoyed his first goal in red to wrap up the afternoon.

Trent Alexander-Arnold also got in on the action, whipping a superb long-range strike past Billy Crellin amid the ongoing talks surrounding his future. The same couldn’t be said for Darwin Núñez, though. The Uruguayan continues to frustrate fans with his missed chanced and Fowler has made up his mind on the striker.

Fowler makes Núñez verdict

Since his arrival at Anfield, many believe Núñez has struggled to live up to his record £85 million price tag. The 25-year-old scored 34 goals in his final season with Benfica but has been unable to impress Liverpool fans with consistency in front of goal.

His debut season with the Reds saw a return of 15 goals and four assists in all competitions, followed by 18 goals and 13 assists last season. However, since the arrival of Slot, Núñez has fallen down the pecking order and has just seven Premier League starts so far this season.

The 25-year-old started against Accrington Stanley and while he provided a smooth assist for Diogo Jota’s opening goal, he squandered some chances of his own to find the back of the net. Speaking to ITV Sport after the match, Fowler gave his honest verdict on Núñez.

“We're saying the same things now that we're saying two or three years ago. “’He's raw, he's this, he's that’, and we can't keep saying that. So for me, the more I see him, the more I think he's not a Liverpool player.

“Now, people might have a go at me for saying this — you know, ‘he works hard’ — you're not signing a player because he works hard because that should be a prerequisite anyway. You've got to come in, you've got to score goals, and I know he's a fan favourite for what he puts in, but at the time that we're talking now, you've got to perform better, and you've got to do better in the Liverpool shirt.”

Núñez transfer rumours

Fowler — who only recently relinquished his title as Liverpool’s top Premier League goalscorer to Salah — was quizzed on how Núñez can improve in front of goal. The former Benfica star has just four goals on his tally so far this season.

“I don't think he's quick enough in terms of how he should be finishing,” Fowler continued. “He's quick over the ground, we know how quick he is, but when you are a striker, your speed of force has got to be quicker than anyone else. When he has time to think about it, he sort of struggles instinctively.

“Sometimes he looks a little bit better, but we still probably want a little bit more, so I think the speed of force as a striker in terms of where he should be, how he finishes, any part of his body, feet or head, it's got to improve.”

Rumours have swirling around Núñez lately, with many wondering if he is a right long-term fit for Liverpool. David Ornstein recently reported that the Reds ‘could consider a move’ to sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli this year, which has fuelled further rumours that Núñez could be sold on.