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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp brushes off Darwin Nunez friendly howler

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes there is plenty more to come from Darwin Nunez after he drew a blank in the 4-0 defeat to Manchester United in their pre-season friendly in Thailand.

The big-money summer signing missed a sitter during the match and social media was soon awash with abuse and cruel comparisons to former Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

Manchester United's Jadon Sancho, Fred and Anthony Martial scored in a whirlwind first half at the two-thirds full Rajamangala Stadium, where Facundo Pellistri wrapped up victory in the Bangkok Century Cup.

New boy Fabio Carvalho and Luis Diaz hit the post in the opening period, with Mohamed Salah rattling the woodwork in the second half among a glut of chances.

Nunez was denied a first Liverpool goal by back-up United goalkeeper Tom Heaton in the 70th minute. Later Salah hit a post and Nunez missed the easy follow-up as Liverpool pushed for a consolation that somehow did not arrive given they ended the match on top.

"It was his third session and I think after his third sprint his lung was nearly ready to explode, like we killed him nearly," Klopp said of Nunez.

"But he offered the runs and the boys wanted to pass the ball there, so that's for sure one of his strengths.
"He was dangerous, all these kind of things. Now we will see but I think his profile is a proper number nine so that's helpful with speed, all these kinds of things, with aggression, use his body."

Klopp admitted it was "pretty freaky" Liverpool did not score."The result obviously stands there so we have to accept that always," he said.

"But of course I think it's clear that we could have scored our goals as well.
"But then I think it would have been an even more spectacular game because I think the goals we gave away to United…we should get assists for it, to be honest.
"But they used their chances, so that's how it is. They had really good moments, caused us problems in a few, but I saw a lot of good stuff from a team as well.
"The game obviously came a bit too early for us, for a few of our players. You can see that as well. Mistakes happen in football.
"We could have scored I think three or four in the last five minutes but didn't and that was our fault.
"The atmosphere great, welcome fantastic, organisation really, really good. The result (not) so that's what the situation pretty much."

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