Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez silences the haters with four goals vs RB Leipzig

Darwin Nunez is off the mark for Liverpool.

With the Reds’ famous front three having finally been disbanded this summer upon Sadio Mane’s move to Bayern Munich, Jurgen Klopp turned to Nunez to give the club’s front line a fresh lick of paint.

And the pressure couldn’t be any greater with the Uruguay international having joined up with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz with an £85 million price tag attached to him.

Nunez under pressure

Sure, he might have set the world alight at Benfica last season with 34 goals from 41 games, but would he have the minerals to succeed where so many strikers have struggled before him: the Premier League?

Well, that was the question on everybody’s lips when the 23-year-old first pulled on the famous red jersey as part of the club’s pre-season preparations for the 2022/23 campaign.

And given all the fanfare that surrounded his arrival, as well as Manchester City’s near-enough-concurrent purchase of Erling Haaland, it quickly became apparent that there was already a cross hair on his name.

Soccer Football – Pre Season Friendly – Manchester United v Liverpool – Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand – July 12, 2022 Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez in action REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Nunez criticised by fans

In fact, that couldn’t have been any clearer than whenn clips of Nunez missing chances in Liverpool training and ‘highlights’ videos of him struggling in his first few games started amassing big numbers.

He hadn’t even kicked a competitive football for Liverpool yet and you really got the impression that rival supporters were baying for blood.

That brings us to Liverpool’s most recent pre-season clash with RB Leipzig on Thursday, which well and truly marked the arrival of their new arrival at centre forward.

Locking horns with the Champions League club at the Red Bull Arena, Nunez’s struggles against Manchester United and Crystal Palace were quickly forgotten as he bagged two goals in three eventful second-half minutes.

Soccer Football – Pre Season Friendly – RB Leipzig v Liverpool – Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany – July 21, 2022 Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel Nunez scores FOUR vs Leipzig

With Salah having already opened the scoring in the first 45 minutes from a Firmino pass, Liverpool’s new signing assumed responsibilities from 12 yards when Diaz was brought down by the goalkeeper.

And although said shot-stopper got a healthy chunk of Nunez’s subsequent finish from the spot, it nevertheless found the back of the net to finally get him underway in Liverpool red.

But it’s only a penalty, you say. Well, fear not, because Nunez breaking his duck seemed to send his confidence soaring through the roof as he then proceeded to double his money just seconds later.

Having been played through one-on-one with the ‘keeper by Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Uruguayan showed brilliant composure in front of goal to find the bottom corner.

However, it got even better, because Nunez’s three-minute brace then became a 25-minute hat-trick when he timed his run and movement in the penalty area to perfection by tapping home from Harvey Elliott’s cross.

Oh, but that wasn’t the end either as Nunez helped himself to a fourth(!!!) goal to crown off a truly stunning 45 minutes of work, finding the net – albeit somewhat fortuitously – with a curled finish through the goalkeeper.

So, sure, insert the various caveats about it only being pre-season and they’re all ultimately true, but you’ve got to tip your hat to Nunez for raising two fingers to the fans that already thought that he was flopping.

Who knows, Nunez could still go on to struggle at Anfield, earn a statue outside the stadium or something in between, but he can only beat what’s put in front of him and he certainly gave RB Leipzig a taste of what can offer.

Take a bow, Darwin, take a bow.

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