Nunez’s Unlucky Night: Record-Breaking Woodwork Hits and Near-Miss Brilliance Against Chelsea

In a night filled with both frustration and brilliance, Darwin Nunez took center stage for Liverpool against Chelsea with a mission to shoot on sight. His remarkable efforts nearly turned the game in Liverpool’s favor, making it an unforgettable performance marred only by an unprecedented number of strikes at the post.

Nunez’s standout quality lies in his unpredictability, and against Chelsea, he showcased the full extent of his capabilities and more. In a span of 90 minutes, the Uruguayan forward managed to register an assist, unleashed an impressive 11 shots, missed a penalty, and astonishingly hit the woodwork four times – a testament to the fine margins that can define football fortunes.

Notably, Nunez’s attempts on goal nearly tripled Chelsea’s collective efforts (four) during the entire game, highlighting the mesmerizing performance by Liverpool’s No. 9. His night etched him into the record books as the first player to hit the woodwork four times in a Premier League game since Opta records began in the 2003/04 season, surpassing the previous record held by four players with three woodwork hits.

Adding to his season tally, Nunez has now struck the woodwork 12 times, a feat unmatched since Luis Suarez’s 2013/14 season (10 hits). The margin of near misses underscores the narrow line between success and misfortune.

In an unfortunate parallel with Liverpool’s former No. 7, Nunez joins the record books as the second Liverpool player to have 11 attempts in a league match without scoring since Suarez’s memorable encounter against Norwich in October 2011.

Despite the records and near misses, Nunez capped off his night with an assist for Luis Diaz, marking his 11th of the season – a well-deserved contribution following a captivating 90 minutes. 

Jurgen Klopp’s acknowledgment of Nunez as “unlucky” echoes the sentiment felt by fans, recognizing the inches that could have drastically altered the 24-year-old’s goal contribution tally on this extraordinary night.