Jurgen Klopp has tipped Darwin Nunez to hit top gear for Liverpool ahead of the Europa League clash with Toulouse.
The Uruguayan striker was among the substitutes for the Merseyside derby win over Everton due to a minor injury as he looks to cement his place in the Reds' starting XI.
Despite being a club-record £85million buy in the summer of 2022, Nunez has started fewer than half of his club's league games and struggled for consistent form in front of goal.
However, Klopp is adamant that fans are about to see him reach his potential.
The manager said: “He’s in a really good moment, Darwin.
"It’s sometimes necessary to adapt to everything, new country, new language, new team – that’s long gone. He’s in the middle of the team, everybody is happy with him, I’m happy with him.
“We had to make a decision before the [Everton] game who of the two will start, was it Lucho [Luis Diaz] or Darwin. Darwin had a little bit of cramps at the end of the international game so we thought maybe we start Lucho.
“I spoke to both, both took it, Lucho’s job was to create, prepare, do what he could to cause as much trouble as possible, and Darwin comes on kills the game off. That was the idea and it worked out really well.
“You could see it was really intense for him so it was the right decision to do it how we did. It’s always tough for the boys to have these kinds of travel before the games but now he’s fine for this game and for the next game, so that’s good.
“I think he’s really happy and we are really happy with him, that’s what I can see at least on the training ground and that’s really important. Really good moment for him.”
Klopp has outlined that Liverpool will make a handful of changes for Thursday's Europa League match at Anfield.
Cody Gakpo could return from injury but Andrew Robertson will miss out after undergoing shoulder surgery on Wednesday morning.
The German continued: “Robbo had surgery and [it] all went well, as good as it could be, so the recovery starts after he wakes up. I think it happened this morning. That’s it. We don’t know how long it will take or whatever, but the first step is done, that’s good.
“Cody is in full training now since Sunday, which means he is available for the squad. Whatever we do with that we will have to see, but that’s good as well.”
