Liverpool supporters get the sense that they are still awaiting the watershed moment that will change the narrative surrounding Darwin Nunez and propel him into the conversation for the Premier League and Europe's finest forward.
Sure, many recognise his elite-level talent, that innate ability that convinced Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to fork out a club-record fee, rising to £85m with add-ons, to bring him to Merseyside in the summer of 2022, but the cogs haven't really combined as yet.
But after two campaigns, the discourse pertaining to Nunez's standing in English football can't shake the schism, slashing through Anfield's pitch, that boils down to the Uruguay international's wayward shooting.
1.
Erling Haaland
27
34
2.
Darwin Nunez
11
27
3.
Nicolas Jackson
14
24
4.
Ollie Watkins
19
22
5.
Alexander Isak
21
21
Incoming head coach Arne Slot will hope that his aggressive, purposeful press will serve Nunez the chances needed to succeed, tweaking his role in Liverpool's team to cater to his distinctive qualities.
Of course, Slot would be wise by forging a bond between Nunez and another star, and given that Fabio Carvalho is now seeking a second shot at success on Merseyside after spending the 2022/23 campaign out on loan, the Dutchman might just have his answer.
Why Liverpool signed Fabio Carvalho
Liverpool signed a teenage Carvalho from Fulham in a £5m package back in May 2022 following an excellent breakout year in the Championship, scoring ten goals and adding eight assists from 33 matches.
Versatile, fast and ferocious, Carvalho's Liverpool career got off to a flyer as he hopped on board during his team's 9-0 romping over Bournemouth at the start of the 2022/23 Premier League season, leading Klopp to dub him a "special player".
But his fruitful start to football in Liverpool did not stop there, with the £41k-per-week ace bagging off the bench for the second top-flight fixture on the trot, though this time sending Anfield into a rapturous cheer of a different kind, thumping home from close range against Newcastle United at a crucial last-gasp period.
Sadly, that was about the extent of Carvalho's exciting start to Premier League action, last starting during a damaging 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest in November 2022, branded with a 5/10 match rating by 90min's Grey Whitebloom, who singled out his lack of athleticism.
Given that Roberto Firmino had called him a "star" with fantastic "character on the pitch", it's clear to see that his natural prowess with the ball suggests that he could yet find his feet at the club, especially now that the managerial pillars have shifted.
How Fabio Carvalho could fit in under Arne Slot
After falling further and further into obscurity under Klopp, it was hardly surprising that Carvalho was shipped out this season, and while he failed to impress in Germany with RB Leipzig, his quality has been restored during a brilliant spell with Hull City in the Championship, scoring nine goals from 20 matches.
Sure, the Championship is contested at an ostensibly lower level than the Bundesliga, but Carvalho's struggle with Leipzig did not come down to an inability to match the division's quality, but rather, from a failure to acclimatise with German outlet Kicker citing his lack of rhythm, confidence and assertiveness as key reasons behind his issues.
His position was exacerbated by the blistering success of positional peer Xavi Simons, who has been heralded as a "superstar" by journalist Antonio Mango for his formidable campaign in Leipzig, and so it was no surprise that Liverpool recalled their nifty young midfielder in January, with just one Bundesliga start to his name.
And what a decision that proved to be, with Carvalho sent back to the Championship to rediscover his mojo after being knocked off-kilter on loan and, admittedly, after a bright start under Klopp, who deigned to use the young talent after the first few months of the 2022/23 campaign.
As per FBref, Carvalho now ranks among the top 6% of forwards across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for pass completion, the top 2% for progressive passes and tackles, the top 1% for interceptions and blocks and the top 13% for progressive carries per 90.
The "magic" – as was said by Hull correspondent Barry Cooper – in Carvalho's skill set has been restored, with his successful stint with the Tigers propelling him to the height of the second tier, widely regarded as one of the finest forwards in the division during his five-month stay.
With an inborn knack for scoring now hardened and shaped to a fine point, Slot could find that his tactical style works a treat for Carvalho's progressive, energetic approach, blending his striking ability with defensive solidity and a creative flair.
His goalscoring skills at the MKM Stadium are simply the cherry on top of a natural talent that may yet see him succeed on Merseyside, perhaps even forging a wondrous partnership with Nunez in a tale of duel comebacks.
Nunez might be a wasteful forward but he isn't half influential with his interweaving motions and clever darts into space, pulling away defenders as if by magnetic force to open up pockets for his peers.
This is reflected through the Uruguayan's playmaking ability, ranking among the top 4% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90.
Slot is fluid in configuring his frontline but he principally fields a 4-2-3-1 formation, which will likely see a central midfielder pulled further toward the brow of the pitch, sitting behind, say, Nunez, or alternatively Cody Gakpo or Diogo Jota.
But Nunez, Liverpool's record player acquisition, will be the main man if he can figure out how to stem the rot that has seeped into his shooting boots over the past two years in English football.
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Dominik Szoboszlai is the obvious player to slot – ha ha – into that No. 10 position, but the Hungarian has endured an imperfect debut year at Liverpool and Carvalho could be the perfect foil.
Indeed, the Portugal U21 international is a more natural goalscorer with more balletic swagger in his forward movements, and this would serve Nunez well, with the dynamism between the pairing creating an impactful level of interchangeability, always keeping defenders guessing.