As Darwin Núñez traipsed toward the touchline at the Estadi Montilivi on Tuesday, the Liverpool striker struggled to keep the frustration from his face and cut a forlorn figure as he was replaced by Cody Gakpo.

His 71-minute contribution to his team's 1-0 UEFA Champions League win in Girona was another night to forget in a season that -- for all of Liverpool's collective brilliance -- has been distinctly underwhelming for the Uruguay international, who was signed from Benfica for an initial £64 million transfer fee.

Against Girona, he managed just 16 touches -- the fewest of any starting player on the pitch -- and squandered two of Liverpool's four big chances.



Even Mohamed Salah, who notched his 16th goal of the season from the penalty spot to continue Liverpool's flawless record in Europe this term, lacked his usual dynamism.

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But with Diogo Jota closing in on a return from an eight-week layoff after a rib injury, it is hard not to feel that Núñez has missed his chance to prove he has the credentials to be Liverpool's long-term No.9.

Núñez has quality "coming out of his ears"

From the moment Núñez first pulled on a Liverpool shirt, he has been a polarising figure, as capable of the sublime as he is the ridiculous.

He announced himself to Liverpool supporters with his eye-catching showings for Benfica against Jürgen Klopp's side in the 2021-22 Champions League, scoring both home and away for in a season in which he registered an impressive 34 goals in 44 appearances.

"Really good, really good," was Klopp's appraisal of the striker after Liverpool's 3-1 win over Benfica in April 2022.

He loves to play for this team together with these boys and has quality coming out of his ears, to be honest."

Still, a disappointing end to the season, with Núñez scoring just once in his last 11 league games as Liverpool fell away in the title race, once again raised questions about his Anfield future.

After Jota was injured in Liverpool's win over Chelsea, Núñez impressed off the bench, following up his fine cameo with a goal against RB Leipzig in the Champions League and a crucial assist for Salah in October's 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Since then, though, Núñez has managed just one goal in nine games and was notably named on the bench for arguably Liverpool's biggest game of the season against Manchester City, with Slot instead opting to start Luis Díaz through the middle and Gakpo on the left.

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Slot 'far from pleased' with Liverpool's win over Girona

Arne Slot reacts to Liverpool's 1-0 win against Girona in the Champions League.

Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Núñez has missed 53 big chances for Liverpool.

But while the scintillating form of Salah has so far masked some of the No.9's deficiencies, it would be unfair to expect his brilliance alone to power Slot's side to major honours this season, and the clamour for Núñez to start delivering seems to be growing louder.

"It's the story with Darwin Núñez," former Liverpool forward Luis García told "ESPN FC" after Tuesday's game.
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