Danny Murphy has named the Liverpool star who would ‘improve’ Premier League title rivals Arsenal.
Arsenal’s title hopes were handed a much-needed boost on Wednesday night as Liverpool dropped points in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Arne Slot’s side were seconds away from a 2-1 win that would have sent them nine points clear above Arsenal, but James Tarkowski’s thunderous strike deep into injury-time earned Everton a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Liverpool are still, of course, in a fabulous position to win their 20th Premier League title and Arsenal cannot afford to put a foot wrong as they chase a first league title since 2004.
Mikel Arteta was handed yet another devastating injury blow earlier this week as Kai Havertz was ruled out of the rest of the season with a hamstring problem.
Havertz was not pulling up any trees before the injury setback but his absence leaves Arsenal desperately short up top following Gabriel Jesus’ season-ending ACL injury and Bukayo Saka’s continued absence.
Ex-England midfielder Murphy says Havertz’s injury has only highlighted the fact Arsenal made a ‘big mistake’ by not signing a new striker in January and says Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez would have ‘improved’ the Gunners.
Arteta expressed interest in bringing a new goalscorer to the Emirates Stadium last month but Arsenal failed with a bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and were priced out of a move for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.
‘Would Darwin Nunez be a better option than Arsenal have? Of course he would,’ Murphy told Spin Genie.
‘Now Kai Havertz is injured you have to wonder who is going to play up front. Eddie Nketiah left, Folarin Balogun left before that.
‘If Nunez joins Arsenal then he would be better than their options up front and improve them in that sense, but they really need an accomplished striker that can turn them into Premier League and Champions League winners.
‘They need a finished article and not an experiment. Havertz has done well enough this season with 15 goals, but he has missed chances in big moments which is why people are disappointed.
‘He is part of a team and a work ethic that has an understanding of how Mikel Arteta wants to play, but it was a big mistake to not bring in a striker during the window.
‘Their wide players aren’t really comfortable playing there and for a club the size of Arsenal and with the targets of Arsenal, it was very naive.
‘They were pinning all their hopes on Havertz staying fit and I am genuinely shocked that they didn’t sign a striker, even on a short-term deal. They have taken a huge risk.’
Nunez has largely flattered to deceive at Liverpool since a big-money move from Benfica in 2022, scoring 39 goals in 128 appearances.
The Uruguay international has only started seven Premier League games so far this season but did pop up with a crucial brace in injury-time during last month’s victory at Brentford.
Given his underwhelming form at Anfield, Nunez was linked with a move away from Liverpool during the January transfer window but the Reds blocked his departure.
A summer move has not been ruled out, however, amid ongoing interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are expected to finally spend big on a striker in the summer, with Isak and Benjamin Sesko believed to be their top two targets.
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