There was a clear winner when Julian Alvarez came up against Darwin Nunez, and Liverpool may well have been keeping a close eye on that match-up ahead of the summer transfer window.
The pair went head-to-head as Uruguay hosted Argentina in a qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. It was the defending world champions that came out on top, with Thiago Almada scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win.
It was a fiery encounter in Montevideo, with Alexis Mac Allister finding himself in the midst of things as tempers flared just before half-time after a challenge on Nunez, while Nicolas Gonzalez saw red in the dying stages after leaving a high boot in on Nahitan Nandez.
For Liverpool fans though, there will have been plenty of eyes on Alvarez, who outshone Nunez, even though neither striker managed to get on the scoresheet.
Alvarez has been linked with a summer move to Anfield, with Liverpool having already made a play for the former Manchester City star before his move to Atletico Madrid last summer. His agent has confirmed the Reds did indeed hold an interest, and it has been suggested that could be revisited, with Nunez being used as a possible makeweight as part of a deal.
Alvarez had a somewhat quiet night against Uruguay, although he did manage to get himself an assist for Almada’s winner, although the credit there does have to go to the goalscorer for what was a sensational strike.
Nevertheless, Alvarez did catch the eye with his intelligent movement and passing as Argentina managed to come through the game despite missing Lionel Messi through injury. For Nunez though, it was another night to forget.
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As well as not getting himself on the scoresheet, the Liverpool striker failed to record a shot on target, and ended the game with no dribbles attempted. By contrast, Alvarez earned some rave reviews in the Argentine media.
TyC Sports gave Alvarez a 7/10 rating, commenting: “We commend the intelligence he displays in every match to do the right thing, both with and without the ball, for his breathtaking performance. It’s hard to understand how he runs like that.”
Bola VIP, meanwhile, gave him a 6/10, saying: “Always delivers. He assisted Almada for the only goal of the match and showed tremendous physical commitment to pressure and counterattacks, performing more than enough throughout the 90 minutes.”
Liverpool.com says: If there is any possibility of Liverpool securing a deal for Alvarez in the summer, then it absolutely should go for it. He certainly wouldn’t come cheaply, but if the Reds are able to use Nunez as a bargaining chip, then it could be the perfect deal for all parties.
