Robbie Fowler argued that Darwin Nunez is unfit to wear a Liverpool shirt during the Reds' 4-0 FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley.
Nunez had two big chances to score after just twelve minutes, but squandered his chances and continued his poor goalscoring record.
The Uruguayan has scored just one goal in his last 14 games despite Liverpool's dominant form under Arne Slot. Since arriving on Merseyside, he has scored just 37 goals in 121 games in all competitions.
Fowler slammed Nunez's performance on Saturday, arguing that his work rate alone is not enough to earn him minutes at Liverpool.
“We're saying the same things now that we said two or three years ago: he's raw, he's this, he's that. “We can't keep saying things like that,” he said.
'The more I see him, the more I think he is not a Liverpool player.
'Maybe people will speak to me when I say this [because] he works hard. You don't bring in a player because he works hard. That should be a condition anyway.
'You have to come in [and] score goals. And I know he's a fan favorite because of what he brings, but you have to perform better and you have to do better in that Liverpool shirt.”
There was one glaring error in particular that caught the attention of experts Fowler and Karen Carney, with the former Liverpool striker in particular critical of the Uruguayan's finishing.
'If you pay [£85million]you expect something more. Concentrate, hit the target,” Carney claimed.
Fowler then added: 'The worst thing you can do is hit the ball over the bar, you have to get the goalkeeper to work.'
When asked why Nunez struggled in front of goal for Liverpool, Fowler, who scored 171 goals in 330 appearances for the Reds, explained that his decision-making is too slow.
“I don't think he's quick enough in his thoughts about how to finish,” he added.
'He's quick on the ground, we know how quick he is, but when you're a striker your thinking speed has to be faster than anyone else's.
“When he has time to think about it, he struggles. I think his thinking speed as a striker… needs to improve.”
Nunez has scored just twice in the Premier League this season. The Uruguayan joined the Reds in the summer of 2022 for a fee rising to £85 million, but his time on Merseyside has been plagued by struggles in front of goal.
At the start of the month, reports circulated that potential suitors were lining up a deal for Nunez, with AC Milan particularly interested in a move.
While it is still extremely early in the January transfer window and things could change, MailSport previously reported that it is unlikely Liverpool would allow Nunez to leave without a replacement lined up.
This is particularly relevant as they are well-placed in all four competitions they find themselves in, with the Reds likely to face a hectic fixture list during the second half of the season.
Liverpool currently sit at the top of both the Premier League and the Champions League, where they have already automatically qualified for the last 16.
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