Darwin Nunez responds to Nottingham Forest fans’ ‘Andy Carroll’ taunts, shares Klopp’s encouraging message

Nunez, Liverpool's forward, scored a crucial goal in the 99th minute against Forest in March. He had endured taunts from Forest fans comparing him unfavorably to Andy Carroll.

Chirag

May 22, 2024

Darwin Nunez On Nottingham Fans Chants — James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images

Nunez clinched a dramatic victory for Liverpool with a goal in the 99th minute against Forest at the City Ground last March. However, prior to that memorable moment, the Uruguayan endured being labeled as a “poor version of Andy Carroll,” a reference to the struggles of the former England striker during his tenure at Anfield from 2011 to 2013. After several months of silence on the matter, the 24-year-old has finally addressed these taunts, while also shedding light on a motivational talk he received from manager Jurgen Klopp.

Speaking to ESPN Uruguay, Nunez recounted the experience, stating, “In that game, the Forest fans were singing to me but I didn’t understand anything. Thank goodness I ended up scoring the [winning] goal.”

Expanding on the incident, the forward shared, “Then the coach [Klopp] in the locker room said ‘screw them’.”

Nunez’s transfer to Liverpool in 2022 set a new club record at £85 million ($108 million). However, he has arguably struggled to justify this substantial price tag. Despite registering 33 goals and 17 assists in 96 appearances, questions linger about his consistency. With Klopp’s departure and rumors swirling around Mohamed Salah’s potential departure during the upcoming transfer window, the pressure on Nunez to deliver at Anfield is set to intensify.

As the Premier League season draws to a close, with Liverpool securing a third-place finish and lifting the Carabao Cup, Nunez is expected to represent Uruguay in their upcoming friendly matches against Costa Rica and Mexico on May 31 and June 5, respectively.