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Darwin Nunez, PSG and the Starting Role Dilemma

Liverpool’s Champions League second leg against Paris Saint-Germain is fast approaching, and the debate over Darwin Nunez’s starting role is heating up. After a week in which the Uruguayan made a tangible impact both against PSG and Southampton, the question remains—should Arne Slot hand him a start in what could be a defining European night at Anfield?

This topic was discussed in detail on Anfield Index’s Media Matters podcast, where host Dave Davis was joined by David Lynch to analyse Liverpool’s latest performances and the key decisions facing Slot.

Nunez’s Impact in Paris

Few players have had a more eventful week than Darwin Nunez. He came off the bench in the first leg against PSG and changed the complexion of the game. Lynch was clear in his assessment of the forward’s influence, stating, “Of all the subs at PSG, he is the absolute key one that changes things.”

Liverpool were on the ropes in Paris, dominated in possession and outshot comprehensively. But Nunez provided what Jurgen Klopp used to call chaos factor, stretching PSG’s defensive lines with his pace and unpredictability. Lynch pointed out that his “physicality and pace” make him uniquely suited to a high-intensity contest against PSG’s man-to-man system.

Slot rewarded him with a starting role against Southampton at the weekend, and while the first half was frustrating for Liverpool, Nunez’s persistence paid off. As Lynch put it, “He’s in a little vein of confidence now… he makes that impact against PSG, completely changes the game, then gets his start, gets a goal, wins a penalty.”

A Tactical Decision for Slot

With the second leg at Anfield looming, the biggest tactical decision for Slot is whether Nunez should lead the line. The alternative would be to start Diogo Jota, a proven finisher with an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time.

Lynch recognised the difficulty of the decision, explaining: “If you think you’re going to have more of the ball, then Jota’s the better finisher. But if you think PSG are going to press you and you need an out ball, then it has to be Darwin Nunez.”

Against a PSG side likely to take risks, Nunez’s ability to break beyond the last line could be invaluable. His tendency to create havoc forces defenders into difficult decisions—something evident when he won a penalty at the weekend simply by “panicking” Southampton’s backline.

Photo: IMAGO

Will Nunez Start Against PSG?

Lynch admitted it is tough to predict Slot’s call: “We don’t have as much kind of evidence on Slot as we did on Klopp, so it’s really hard to know what he’ll do.”

The key question is whether Slot wants to exploit PSG’s defensive vulnerabilities with Nunez’s raw pace or opt for the clinical finishing of Jota. Either way, Nunez has done enough over the last week to make himself an integral part of the conversation.

If Slot sticks with the same formula that changed the first leg in Liverpool’s favour, expect to see Nunez playing a major role again. Whether that comes from the start or off the bench could define Liverpool’s European fate.