After last season’s titanic title tussle between Manchester City and Liverpool, it’s no surprise that both teams have sought reinforcements in the summer transfer window. With City bringing in Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, and Liverpool signing Darwin Núñez from Benfica, the two clubs have got their hands on two of the most exciting young strikers in world football.
Haaland and Núñez: What Manchester City and Liverpool’s new arrivals will offer their sides
As fans analyse the odds on the Premier League title race at this early stage of the season, let’s take a closer look at the qualities both Haaland and Núñez will bring to their respective teams.
Haaland to provide firepower in City’s attack
It’s been no secret that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has desired an out-and-out centre forward for some time. After last summer’s failed attempt to prise Harry Kane away from Tottenham Hotspur, City this time opted to pursue another world class striker in the form of Haaland, who is widely regarded as one of the game’s most promising talents.
Haaland’s goal return speaks for itself, having scored for fun at both RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund. He has a distinctive physical presence up front, which is something City have lacked under Guardiola, and it’s going to be interesting to see how Haaland is deployed.
You’d expect him to hit the ground running, and there is little doubt that he will have an easy time putting the defences of lesser Premier League teams to the sword. The question marks will arise in the matches against City’s bigger rivals, and that is where Haaland will have to prove his worth.
City are the favourites for the title once again in the EPL tips, and now that Haaland has joined a club where trophies are the bare minimum, there will be pressure on him to deliver the goods.
Núñez gives Liverpool an alternative option
With the departure of Sadio Mané, there was a distinct hole left in Liverpool’s attacking options, but the Reds wasted no time in filling it. Darwin Núñez was identified as the man to bring further striking prowess to the club, and Liverpool splashed the cash to bring in the 23-year-old from Benfica.
Núñez is not a like-for-like replacement for Mané as such. The Uruguayan has more of an aerial presence, and this will give Liverpool more variety in their play, particularly against opponents who employ a low block to try and stifle their creative advances. Núñez is tall and has an almighty leap, which should suit the physicality of the Premier League perfectly.
Of course, he is more than capable with the ball at his feet too. Núñez’s vast catalogue of goals for Benfica last season included a range of different styles of goal, and that versatility is exactly the kind of thing Jürgen Klopp wants from his forward players.
Núñez’s intelligent run-making will make him a dream to play with for the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Thiago Alcântara, and given Liverpool’s success rate with recruitment over the last few seasons, you’d expect Núñez to hit the ground running and contribute to another successful season at Anfield.