Jurgen Klopp makes Darwin Nunez & Erling Haaland comparison

Forum 1 year ago

Jurgen Klopp makes Darwin Nunez & Erling Haaland comparison

Jurgen Klopp has compared Darwin Nunez's style of play with new Man City signing Erling Haaland's, and also hinted that it may take both a bit of time to settle into life in the Premier League.

The two young forwards were signing by Liverpool and City respectively this summer for a combined £136m, and both are widely expected to take the league by storm during the 2022/23 season.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Community Shield clash between Liverpool and Man City, Klopp discussed the differences in the two's style of play.

"We watched the Bayern game obviously and it was not too different but it was good and Erling scored a Man City goal. Like a square ball in the six yard box and that is so far it didn’t change a lot, they have same problem we have as they are not used to Erling’s natural runs just as we are not used to Darwin’s natural runs yet," he said.

"When Darwin offers a run we give him the ball all the time, which is not helpful because often a guy who stretches the opponent is there to create space between the lines, these kind of things."

Klopp also stated that he believes it will take time for Haaland to settle in at the Etihad Stadium: "I am pretty sure they will need time for Erling but that doesn’t mean he cannot score already early like how he did it in the first game against Bayern.

"Most of the things look like last year, how they set up the press, how flexible they are in their own possession, it is good, very very good but so far not real change is obvious."

These comments echo what Klopp has previously said about Nunez and the need for fans to be patient with the young striker: "It will take time like it always takes time but it’s fine. I don’t think we know already the way it can go for him because it’s so fresh and he wants to really enjoy every day, but we have a lot of work to do and he has some work to do as well. So, all good."