Klopp joked that Darwin Nunez was nearly killed by his new teammates

Darwin Núñez made his first appearance for Liverpool on Tuesday, playing the final 30 minutes of the game against Manchester United. Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp defended the new striker’s inferior performance after the 0:4 defeat.

The Reds paid a record £85 million for the striker. But even he did not prevent a heavy 0: 4 defeat to Manchester United in Tuesday’s Bangkok Century Cup match in Thailand.

In an eventful end to the match, the 23-year-old Uruguayan first hit goalkeeper Tom Heaton with a fierce shot from an angle and minutes later fired high over the bar from close range after Mohamed Salah’s shot hit the bar.

According to local reporters, Núñez’s preparation for the match was complicated by blisters on his feet. He has also struggled with his fitness during his short time on the pitch, given that Klopp wants his team to play with predatory intensity from start to finish in every game.

He is clearly not used to this style of play from Benfica. This information was later confirmed by Jürgen Klopp.

“You could see that the boys are already looking for him,” Klopp said at the post-match press conference. “It was his third training session and I think after the third sprint his lungs were almost ready to explode.”

“We almost killed him with those balls, but he was charging and the boys wanted to pass, that’s definitely one of his strengths.”

Núñez scored 34 goals for Benfica last season, including twice against Liverpool in the Champions League, but he looked completely different in Bangkok against United.

However, the 23-year-old still has plenty of time to put things right before the start of the season. Klopp’s team will return to action on Friday when they take on Crystal Palace in Singapore

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