The Reds have finished fifth in the Premier League standings this season and consequently have missed out on qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Their talented frontmen Nunez and Gakpo were expected to shine this season following their big-money moves to Anfield, but their performances are now under the scanner amid Liverpool falling short.
However, former defender Leboeuf feels it is hard to judge the Liverpool pair at the moment.
The ex-Premier League star also stressed that their teammates’ displays should come under the scanner first before that of the duo.
“You have to view in a different manner”, Leboeuf said on ESPN FC.
“Nunez came at the beginning of the season, nobody saw that coming.
“We thought that the spirit of Liverpool will still exist and the way the players normally played will sustain.
“But it didn’t and it changed dramatically.
“There was no spirit, they didn’t play together, they didn’t defend, no reserves, and you have that young guy coming from Portugal and you expect the best from him, no matter that he can sink with the rest of the ship.
“Gakpo came when Liverpool was going a little bit better and finished quite better than they started.
“And therefore it’s hard to judge.
“And it’s hard for two young players with big expectations you have when you play for such a big club to be judged where the rest of the chip isn’t there.
“We have to judge the players who were already there before judging the players who just came and signed for the club, because if nobody exists how could you want them to be better than the others?
“For me it’s impossible.”
The Reds are now looking to bolster their ranks ahead of next season’s campaign as they are targeting returning to the fold of the Champions League again.
