- Liverpool have been made to rue their profligacy in front of goal in recent games
- Uruguayan forward has 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season
- Darwin Nunez is a handful, but not lethal. Jurgen Klopp is making excuses for him – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Darwin Nunez has the lowest big-chance conversion rate among players in Europe’s top five leagues, with a total of only 19.4 per cent this season.
The Uruguayan has scored 18 times and recorded 13 assists in 46 appearances for Liverpool but he has also been guilty of missing a number of presentable opportunities.
Having seen the 24-year-old squander a huge chance in the midweek defeat by Atalanta, the Reds were again made to rue the striker’s profligacy against Crystal Palace.
The anecdotal evidence has borne out in the numbers, with data revealing that he is the worst offender for missing big-chances, among those to have 20 or more, across Europe’s top leagues. Nunez has scored only six of 31 of those opportunities afforded to him this term.
His total number of big chances missed is only outdone by Manchester City‘s Erling Haaland, who has also been criticised this season for being wasteful in front goal.
Darwin Nunez has the lowest big chance conversion rate among players in Europe’s top five leagues
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland also has a spot on the top 10 list with a conversion rate of 34.8 per cent
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is the only other Premier League player on the list
The Norwegian ranks ninth on the list with a conversion rate of 34.8 per cent, after missing 30 of his 46 big chances.
Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is the only other Premier League player in the top 10 with a conversion rate of 29.2 per cent. The 22-year-old has found the net on 12 occasions in 35 appearances for the Blues.
In fact, Jackson has scored just four times in the league since netting a hat-trick during an extraordinary 4-1 victory over Tottenham in November. His record is enough to put him in fourth place.
Former Arsenal and Blues star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has fared only slightly better this term with a conversion rate of 32.1 per cent.
The 34-year-old has enjoyed a stunning return to French football and has 25 goals to his name, including 10 in the Europa League which saw him become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
He has passed up 19 of his 28 big chances, one more than Robert Lewandowski, with a conversion rate of 33.3 per cent. The Barcelona striker’s production has slowed down since his more prolific days with Bayern Munich.
Still, the 35-year-old has scored 20 goals in all competitions, including three in the Champions League.
Separating Nunez and Jackson in the top five are Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic and Montpellier forward Akor Adams. Like Nunez, Vlahovic has enjoyed an encouraging season, particularly after a period of underachievement following his big-money move to Turin.
Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has also been guilty of squandering chances this season, despite his largely successful return to French football with Marseille
After a purple patch in the middle of the campaign, goals have dried up for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic
The Serbia international is the second-highest scorer in Serie A with 15 goals, eight behind leader Lautaro Martinez. Vlahovic’s conversion rate of 21.7 is enough to see him as the runner up in this list too, with Adams at 26.1 per cent some way clear of his total.
Rounding out the top 10 are Samu Omorodion, Avaro Morata and Vinicius Jr with conversion rates of 33.3, 34.4 and 36.4 per cent respectively.
