Darwin Núñez has had to bide his time in recent weeks after losing his place in the Liverpool starting XI.

But the Uruguayan was back in the first team on Wednesday evening when Fulham visited Anfield in the Premier League and it was thanks to his eagerness to close down that the Reds were awarded a penalty, leading to the only goal of a tight contest.

The 23-year-old had not started any of Liverpool’s previous five matches and although he has 15 goals to his name in all competitions since Jürgen Klopp brought him to Anfield last summer, Núñez has only found the net once in his last 10 appearances.

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The former Benfica star has recently seen his game-time limited by the deployment of January signing Cody Gakpo as a central striker, but ex-Anfield favorite John Barnes is backing Núñez to come good for Liverpool, as well as the man who has been keeping him out of the side until Wednesday.

Speaking to BonusCodeBets about Liverpool’s attacking options, Barnes said: “I think what we need from Gakpo and Núñez is consistency rather than for them to improve. They will improve when they’re more consistent.

“Whilst Núñez hasn’t played a lot recently I feel as though he has been our most dangerous striker this season with his aggression and willingness to work. I don’t think there are any necessary improvements for them to make. They’ve got great attitudes and they work hard for the team. Next season we will see them do it more consistently.

“Gakpo hasn’t gone under the radar because he’s played regularly and the fans are appreciating him. He’s come into a team that has not performed consistently. In the last four or five games Liverpool has played well and he’s contributed to that with goals.

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“Núñez and Gakpo will play more consistently when Klopp has established and settled the side next season. Gakpo has been very good in the last four games or so.”

The return to fitness of Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz has given Liverpool’s German boss something of a selection headache in recent weeks, but it is a problem that he will be happy to have. Both Jota and Díaz found the net in Liverpool’s weekend win against Spurs, keeping competition for places in the forward line red-hot.

Núñez, however, is still Liverpool’s second top scorer this season, behind only Mohamed Salah, and although the Uruguayan endured a few scruffy moments against Fulham, he will be hoping that he did enough to earn himself another start against Brentford on Saturday.

Liverpool.com says: Jürgen Klopp’s clear preference for the technically adept Cody Gakpo in recent weeks has asked a big question of Darwin Núñez, but the only way he can answer it is with performances in matches. The Reds have a rich array of options at the top end of the pitch and that competition for places will only drive the standard up further. A decent pre-season would do Núñez plenty of good and perhaps then we will get a clearer indication of whether he is going to be in this Liverpool side for the long haul.

Tottenham ‘pushing’ to seal deal for £60m star but face competition from Liverpool

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘pushing’ to get a deal done for Leicester City midfielder James Maddison but face competition from Liverpool, according to Football Insider.

Maddison is likely to leave Leicester in the summer transfer window irrespective of where the club finishes at the end of the season.

Spurs are planning a massive squad overhaul in the summer and they think £60m should be enough to sign Maddison next summer.

However, Tottenham face competition as Football Insider claims that Premier League rivals Liverpool are also in the hunt to sign the 26-year-old midfielder, while Newcastle United are also showing a keen interest.

Leicester City are 16th in the Premier League table and they are facing the prospect of relegation this season. If they drop down to the Championship, Maddison could be available at a cut-down price.

Summer window

It’s hard to predict how the summer window is going to pan out for Tottenham. First of all, they are yet to appoint a new manager, and he will have a say in what type of players he wants.

Secondly, the North London club are highly likely to finish outside the top four this season, which means there won’t be any Champions League football for them next season. It could have an effect on their transfer budget, and they may struggle to compete with other top clubs.

But most importantly, Tottenham could lose their talisman striker Harry Kane – who would feel that this is his last chance to move away from the club. Also, this is Tottenham’s best chance to get a high transfer fee as he’s about to enter the last year of his contract.

Maddison has been a key player for Leicester over the years, and he would be a massive signing for the club. Spurs lack a proper creative central midfielder, and Maddison could be the one to solve that problem.

Liverpool are also linked with a move for him but it remains to be seen whether they will formalise their interest. The Reds could keep faith with the likes of Curtis Jones rather than spend big on a creative midfielder like Maddis

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Fulham could sign 32-year-old FC Porto midfielder Mateus Uribe to replace Joao Palhinha, who’s on the radar of Chelsea and Liverpool.

According to Football Insider, Fulham could push for the signature of Mateus Uribe in the upcoming transfer window. The Cottagers are expected to have a busy summer transfer window both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

They are well aware of the fact that Joao Palhinha has attracted a lot of attention of late. The 27-year-old has been sensational in his first season in England. And, the Cottagers expect a lot of bids for the Portuguese international in the summer, including from Chelsea and Liverpool.

While they do want to keep him at the club for another season, it will be difficult given the number of clubs that are after him. And, according to reports, Fulham could let Palhinha leave if they receive a bid in excess of £50 million.

With the 27-year-old’s future at the club uncertain, the Cottagers have already started planning for life without him. Fulham are keeping a close eye on FC Porto midfielder Mateus Uribe.

The Cottagers are looking for a player who could easily slot into the midfield. They believe Uribe can be an ideal replacement for their 27-year-old midfielder. The 32-year-old Porto midfielder is someone who has great defensive awareness and can help the cause of Fulham.

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Uribe has been a great servant for the Portuguese club over the last few seasons. He joined them back in the summer of 2019 and has since featured in 171 matches. Uribe also has 15 goals and seven assists to his name.

As far as the ongoing season is concerned, the 32-year-old has six goal contributions in 46 matches. He has been the mainstay of the Portuguese club in the centre of the park. Uribe’s profile is quite similar to that of Palhinha.

And, with his contract is set to expire in a month’s time and he is likely to part ways with Porto as a free agent. The 32-year-old could be an absolute bargain for the Cottagers. However, they will only push for Uribe if they end up selling their Portuguese international.