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Darwin Nunez is struggling at Liverpool(Image: Ibrahim Ezzat/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Dirk Kuyt has likened his own challenges faced when a Liverpool to that Darwin Nunez is currently struggling with.

Of course this under a new head coach, but after three seasons with the club it has hardly inspired confidence among the 60,000 who come to watch him week-in, week-out, nor those who follow from afar.

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But how can a striker live with such expectations, especially when standing next to a world-beater in Mohamed Salah?



The Egyptian is on 54 goal contributions at this stage by comparison.

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That is at least the feeling of Kuyt, who returns to the ground where he once netted an FA Cup hat-trick against Manchester United plus many more memorable goals this weekend.

The flying Dutchman is part of the Reds Legends returning for their annual charity match, this time against Chelsea counterparts.

"I became friends with Pepe Reina and after the first season he congratulated me with the fact I was one year at Liverpool and said, 'actually, every year you can stay at Liverpool it is a championship of your own',” he told the PA news agency.

"Not only are the players who are there trying to kick you out of the team but every year there comes someone in your place.

"I played the first season with [Craig] Bellamy and [Peter] Crouch and I was the top goalscorer and thought, 'I will be OK for next season' and then the club signed Fernando Torres.

"You always have to be at your best to stay at Liverpool and every player has to perform day in, day out, and you know if you are not performing another player will be ready to fill your place.

"If you know Arne Slot a little bit every day he will have tried to push Darwin to get the best out of him so he will never stop doing that and then the player decides himself whether he will play or not because he will have to perform.

"When you have a team-mate like Mo Salah – or in my time Fernando Torres – and these guys are making goalscoring so easy all the supporters want you to make as many goals as well."

After recent disappointment missing a penalty in the shoot-out Champions League elimination to Paris Saint-Germain and Sunday's Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United, Nunez has headed off on international duty.

Uruguay have huge World Cup qualifiers coming up against Argentina and Bolivia, before which the 25-year-old has said: "I know I'm not performing as well as I should.

"It's difficult because when you're doing well, like when I came on against PSG (away, assisting Harvey Elliott), your confidence changes, with the idea of being able to break it in the next match.

"But then you get a slump, and I'm always there to help my team-mates come back to the national team.

Let him run a lot, play well, and then not be able to score a goal.

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"I'm strong in my head, since my family always supports me, and that's the important thing to keep working and bring joy to everyone, like beating Argentina to get the three points.

"(I want) to forget a little about what's happening there (at Liverpool), and besides, there's nothing more beautiful for a player than wearing your country's jersey."

But in his final message of backing, Kuyt added: "Darwin is pushing himself very hard, sometimes doing well and sometimes not scoring the goals he wanted himself, and that makes it difficult because the pressure is so big."


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