During Liverpool’s 4-1 triumph over Chelsea on Wednesday, Darwin Nunez, the Uruguayan forward, achieved a milestone in the Premier League.
Nunez provided his 11th assist of the season across all competitions during the game, setting up Luis Diaz who slotted his low cross into the bottom corner. Additionally, Nunez has scored 11 goals this season, making it a notable and perhaps underrated campaign for him with the Reds so far.
In his second season at Liverpool, Nunez’s overall performance, direct style of play, and physical prowess illustrate why the club invested a record-breaking £85 million to acquire him from Benfica in the summer of 2022.
Although Nunez didn’t manage to score against Chelsea, he was heavily involved in the game, showcasing his skills and making significant contributions.
In the first half, the 23-year-old stepped up to take a penalty for Liverpool after Diogo Jota was fouled by Benoit Badashile in the penalty area. However, Nunez’s strike hit the left post and Chelsea subsequently cleared the ball, leaving the forward frustrated with his luck once more.
In addition to his missed penalty, Nunez faced further frustration as he struck the crossbar and post on three additional occasions during the game, failing to convert any of these chances into goals.
OptaJoe has confirmed that Nunez’s feat sets a Premier League record, marking the first time a player has hit the woodwork four times in a single match since records began in the 2003/04 season.
The first player to achieve such a feat was Bolton Wanderers’ Jay-Jay Okocha, who hit the woodwork three times against Tottenham in November 2003. Since then, players like Leandro Trossard and Timo Werner have matched this statistic, but Nunez has now surpassed it.
Adding to Nunez’s frustration, he has struck the woodwork a total of nine times in Premier League matches this season, surpassing the second-placed group of players, which includes his Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, and Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke, by three times.
However, given Nunez’s significant contribution to Liverpool’s performance this season, manager Jurgen Klopp is unlikely to be overly concerned by this statistic, even though it may be frustrating for Nunez in his pursuit of the Golden Boot.
