As the goals rained down on Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday night, Darwin Nunez sat awaiting the nod, no doubt licking his lips in anticipation.
As Diogo Jota struck a double to end a 12-month wait without a goal either side of Mohamed Salah's 26th of the season, Nunez was forced to kick his heels on the sidelines as Liverpool tore their hosts to shreds during an excellent second-half.
Introduced for the final 10 minutes or so as part of a quartet of changes, Nunez was at least given enough time to record the Reds' sixth on the night with a smartly taken finish after a couple of excellent touches to bring down the majestic Trent Alexander-Arnold's pass for his second assist of the night.
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The finish, in many ways, was trademark Nunez: sharp, quick and direct, with a hint of a stumble after the shot as if to illustrate the rough edges that are still evident in the Uruguay international's game.
It's not been a vintage campaign for many at Anfield but Nunez will likely reflect on a largely positive season from a personal perspective when the final whistle blows in late May.
The goal against Leeds was his 15th in all competitions since he joined for an initial £64m from Benfica last June. At a time when both the forward line and club as a whole are enduring something of a transitional period, there can be few grumbles about that return.
With Roberto Firmino set to depart after eight years at Anfield this summer, the pressure will be increased just slightly on those tasked with firing the club to glory from next season onwards. That goes for Nunez as much as anyone as he gets set for his sophomore season as a Premier League striker.
With eight games left to play this season, it's interesting to note that Nunez is just two shy of the 17 Luis Suarez managed in his first full term at Anfield, having surpassed the 13 Sadio Mane registered in the 2016/17 campaign when he nodded in his second of the evening during the 7-0 hammering of Manchester United last month.
Nunez's haul of 15 is also four more than both Firmino and Daniel Sturridge secured in their first seasons as Reds players too, albeit the latter only joined in January. The point here is not to directly compare and contrast but to suggest there is ample evidence to back up those who believe the Uruguay international will truly take flight next season under Klopp as Liverpool continue to evolve up top.
A run of a goal every 133 minutes is a more than respectable tally for a 23-year-old in their first season in the top flight of English football.
“Obviously, I still have many things to work on, for example my finishing," Nunez told Sky Sports earlier this season. "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.”
Liverpool moved quickly to secure Nunez in June, having identified him as their No.1 target when it became clear Mane was seeking a new challenge after six years on Merseyside.
Using his extensive contact books and knowledge of Portuguese football, sporting director Julian Ward flew to Lisbon for talks with Benfica to ensure the Reds stole a march on other interested parties that included Manchester United.
The fact the deal was completed a month before pre-season started allowed Nunez the opportunity to get to know his team-mates as early as possible and benefit from a full summer schedule.
That is the plan for Klopp once more this summer as he tries to significantly restructure his midfield ranks in time so the new personnel can get to grips with how he wants them to play on the training pitches of pre-season.
Games like Monday night at Leeds or the 7-0 win over United - when Nunez was one of three to register braces alongside Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah - show that Liverpool can still devastate their opponents when it all clicks.
That the 6-1 smiting of Javi Gracia's men was only the Reds' fourth-highest margin of victory in all competitions during a season largely spent in flux is further weight to the argument that a free-flowing Liverpool can blitz the opposition on a more regular basis when consistency returns to their overall performances.
For Nunez, the big question is where he slots into the system going forward? Gakpo has clearly been earmarked to replicate what Firmino so often gave to the system under Klopp and the Dutchman's touch, speed and ability to carry the ball over large distances have been key facets to Liverpool's attack since he joined from PSV Eindhoven in January.
Nunez might have envisioned himself playing a more central role like earlier in the season but the long-term injuries to both Luis Diaz and Jota, coupled with the arrival of Gakpo have left the former Almeria man shifting off to the left in the last few months.
Nunez's pace and power make him a useful option out wide, particularly when given the space to run in to by players with the passing range of Alexander-Arnold, but maybe the striker himself views the No.9 role as the one where he will thrive most?
After six months on the shelf, Diaz won't be overburdened with expectations or demands between now and the end of the term, meaning Nunez can still expect to feature on the left, but the pre-season schedule will offer some intriguing clues as to how Klopp feels he can get the best out of a potentially explosive set of options up front.
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