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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Oliver King & Matthew Holt

'I swear by this' - Peter Crouch makes claim over Darwin Nunez at Liverpool

Former Liverpool forward Peter Crouch has backed Darwin Nunez to succeed during his time at Anfield.

The 23-year-old made the summer switch from Benfica and has endured some harsh critics during his adaption period on Merseyside, despite finding the net six times in his first 13 appearances. Missing a glorious chance in the first half against Ajax, the Urugyuan made amends by guiding home a header as the Reds secured their place in the Round of 16 with a 3-0 triumph.

With Jurgen Klopp's side suffering to find any real consistency in the opening stages of the 22/23 campaign, much of the blame has often been wrongly shifted the way of Nunez. With Crouch himself suffering a stuttering start to life at Anfield, the former Spurs man has backed the Liverpool forward to succeed.

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''I had a well-documented drought when I first went to Liverpool. But what I will say is he is in the best place in the world,'' began Crouch, as he spoke following the Reds' victory in Amsterdam. ''If he is struggling or has a lack of confidence, the fans will always be behind him when plenty of other fans would be so quick to turn on their striker that cost that amount of money.

''He is working hard and Klopp is impressed with how hard he works offensively and defensively. The best thing about tonight's that he missed a glorious chance and then he bounced back by scoring a fantastic header. Everyone can see he is working hard and it was the same with me.

''We had just won the Champions League when I signed and all of a sudden, after 18 games I still had not scored,'' he added. ''At any other club, I swear by this, any other club would have handed you out after six games. But Liverpool and the fans stuck by me like they will stick by him, and he will come good because of that.''

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