A win over AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday was the perfect immediate response, but Liverpool still needed to bounce back in the Premier League.
The Reds did not start especially well, with Caoimhin Kelleher needing to make a big save with the scores at 0-0. But after surviving that scare – and seeing Bournemouth have a goal chalked off for offside – Liverpool quickly went through the gears at Anfield.
Luis Diaz hit a quickfire double before Darwin Nunez scored a sublime left-footed curler to put the Reds three goals to the good. His first Premier League goal for almost six months, you could see exactly what it meant to the Uruguayan.
Darwin Nunez in tears after Liverpool goalPhoto: What Darwin Nunez did after scoring first Premier League goal since April for Liverpool vs BournemouthNunez has had a very quiet start to the season with Liverpool.
Having scored only once in his last 13 games for the Reds in 2023/24, his lack of game time has been a worry. The one goal Nunez did get came during Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Sheffield United at Anfield on April the 4th.
Nevertheless, Arne Slot said on Friday that Nunez would soon get his chance. As it turned out, the 25-year-old’s first start of the season came just one day after his head coach’s comments.
And having repaid Slot in the finest of fashions, Nunez couldn’t hold back his emotions.Lifting his arms out the sky, the No.9 looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Joined by Diaz at the corner flag, Nunez appeared to be in tears as he celebrated in front of the crowd.
Lifting his arms out the sky, the No.9 looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Joined by Diaz at the corner flag, Nunez appeared to be in tears as he celebrated in front of the crowd.Having finally scored for Liverpool for the first time over five months, Nunez looked like he was enjoying his moment.
His Liverpool teammates seemed to be just as pleased, with Virgil van Dijk one of those to congratulate Darwin following the goal.How did Darwin Nunez play overall?It was very pleasing to see Nunez get his goal having been marginalised for much of the season so far.
However, on the whole, it would be tough to argue that the Uruguay international did enough to stake a place in the starting line-up in the longer-term.Having so often been at the centre of everything Liverpool have done over the past two seasons, Nunez was quiet against Bournemouth.
The former Benfica man has often been cited as an ‘agent of chaos’ for his unpredictable and raw style of football.But that was not on show at Anfield on Saturday. Despite his excellently taken goal, Nunez could not really get into the game as he would have hoped. Nevertheless, he’ll be delighted to have got his goal.
