Darwin Nunez has been unfairly subject to ridicule by some rival supporters since his big-money move last summer. Perhaps it is the price tag, maybe it is due to the inevitable Erling Haaland comparisons, or it could just be Liverpool’s status as Premier League heavyweights in recent seasons.
Nine goals in 26 top-flight appearances shows there is room for improvement, for a youngster adjusting to a new country, that return should not be scoffed at either. Jurgen Klopp removed much of the goalscoring burden from Nunez’s shoulders by playing him out wide - a decision that eased the transition after a rocky start.
At 23, time is still on his hands to develop into a monster at Premier League level. In truth, Nunez, with his 6ft 2in frame and lightning-quick speed, is tailor-made for English football.
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And Liverpool are no stranger to a South American talent surging to success after a period of settling in. Luis Suarez, a man regarded among the best of his generation, was revered by the Kop but was often public enemy number one among opposing fans.
It may come as a surprise to learn Nunez has already surpassed his compatriot’s goal tally at the same stage of his Liverpool career. Everyone remembers Suarez’s remarkable 31-goal campaign which took the Reds on the brink of the top-flight title.
However, his mean streak in front of goal was earned - rather than naturally gifted - netting just eight times from his opening 26 games. Nunez will also require time to develop into a killer number nine.
The £75million man has already acknowledged the similarities between the two, hinting at a potentially destructive campaign in 2023-24. He said earlier this year: “I still have many things to work on. For example, my finishing. But I think the same thing is happening to me as happened to Suarez. In his second year, he tore it up.
"Something similar happened to me already at Benfica. The first year went very badly for me and in the second, I exploded. Here, I think the same thing is happening. I hope next season will be like that. I'll put my best forward and, hopefully, I'll get a bit of luck."
Should his prediction come true, those opposition jeers will become tears. Nunez - who took European football by storm last season with 34 goals - can have the last laugh.
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