Liverpool keeping Darwin Nunez was a stroke of GENIUS

Arsenal kept themselves in the title race by the skin of their teeth on Saturday afternoon.

They were lacklustre against what has been a woeful Leicester City side this season, struggling to create serious chances and struggling even worse to finish them off.

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It took defensive midfielder Mikel Merino in the 82nd minute to finally break the deadlock and he had to add another in the 88th to see them to a 2-0 win.

Their attacking woes come from a host of places but a significant factor is they were forced to field an attacking like of Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri.

The news this week that Kai Havertz would be out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury may just have hamstrung the Gooners, especially when combined with Bukayo Saka’s absence that is now bordering on two full months and has no end in sight.

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It’s not just Arsenal that are suffering from this injury bug either.

Chelsea are now to be without starting centre-forward Nicolas Jackson for at least a month due to his own hamstring injury and a pair of limp performances in losses to Brighton highlight just how essential he has been to their attacking play.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, were forced into a panic-buying scheme when Jhon Duran departed for Saudi Arabia, bringing in Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen to bolster their ranks.

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And that Rashford move looks even worse for Manchester United given Amad Diallo is now set to be out for the rest of the season, leaving them with just Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho in their attacking line.

As a result, Liverpool’s decision to keep Darwin Nunez on the books through the January transfer window looks like a stroke of genius.

Darwin Nunez will be crucial to Liverpool winning the league

Liverpool fans - not to mention head coach Arne Slot himself - have had their problems with Nunez this season.

He, unfortunately, represents Liverpool’s lack of top-level options at the centre-forward position.

But he has earnt his place through dogged hard work, resilience and punctuality. Even if you’re not in love with it, you know what you will get from his performance.

But getting rid of him without a sure-fire replacement could have hubristically ruined Liverpool’s entire season. It is being laid bare just what happens to teams when their attacking options diminish.

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Alternatively, Manchester City enjoyed a resurgent performance yesterday at the hands (or, I should say, feet) of new attacker Omar Marmoush.

If Liverpool go on to enjoy the major success this season that we all know they can then it will be because of Darwin Nunez and definitely not in spite of him.

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