One major issue the Uruguay international will have to solve is his tendency so stray into offside positions, a bad habit that has hindered numerous promising attacking opportunities.
No other Premier League player was caught offside more than Nunez last season (33), with Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson next in line on 28. Things weren't much better in this department during the debut campaign of the Reds' No.9 either, being flagged 17 times - the 11th most of any English top-flight star in 2022/23.
Making things all the more complicated for the 24-year-old in this department is the fact the Premier League will introduce semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) from next season. This system will replace the current format of footage being reviewed by officials in Stockley Park, with instant verdicts instead being delivered.
Serie A was the first European division to switch to SAOT, with Mexico soon after following suit by introducing this approach to their league. La Liga and the Premier League will be the next to implement this change, which could be bad news for Nunez.
The reason why the former Benfica forward may not benefit from this format relates to the fact attackers are currently given the benefit of the doubt due to flaws in the process relating to accuracy and consistency, which will be eradicated under the reformed technology. It is therefore anticipated more goals will be disallowed in 2024/25, with marginal calls relating to a player's armpit or toenail now likely to go in the favour of the defending team.
Ten bespoke cameras are to be installed under the roof of the 20 Premier League League grounds, providing optimal tracking for every player on the pitch. 29 data points will be recorded on all limbs and extremities that are relevant for an offside decision, which includes the upper arm, toes, knees and head, ensuring the system knows the exact position of a player at any given moment. All data will be processed in real time by AI, triggering an alert to the VAR when an offside has been detected. This must then be validated by VAR before the referee is informed whether the correct call has been reached.
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The Premier League have already confirmed the technology will be coming to the division in 2024/25, though will not be ready for the start of the campaign. Addressing this topic in a statement earlier this year, the Premier League said: "The new system will be used for the first time in the Premier League next season, and it is anticipated the technology will be ready to be introduced after one of the Autumn international breaks.
"The technology will provide quicker and consistent placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and will produce high-quality broadcast graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters."
For Nunez, this will be one more obstacle to overcome in his quest to fully win over the fanbase. The margin for error has just been reduced, both in terms of his timing of runs and Liverpool career.
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