Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp shared a special embrace with striker Darwin Nunez after the Reds cruised to a win at Ajax on Wednesday evening.
The Merseyside outfit overcame the Eredivisie champions with ease with a three-goal victory, despite the hosts missing a host of fantastic openings in a nervy opening half of the encounter. Mohamed Salah, Harvey Elliott and Nunez all got on the scoresheet as Klopp’s side sealed their progress to the Round of 16.
Uruguayan striker Nunez went through the range of emotions throughout the match as he inexplicably missed a glorious opportunity during the opening period of the clash, before atoning for that wastefulness by scoring an excellent header later in the encounter.
After the encounter in Amsterdam, Reds boss Klopp as usual went on to the pitch to congratulate his players and commiserate his opponents. However, he reserved a special moment with summer signing Nunez – who has hit a streak of goal scoring form for the first time since joining the club.
Klopp made a beeline for the striker and gave him a big bear hug, before slapping him on the back three times. It was a sign that not only was the boss delighted with the striker’s performance, but that he believed this post-match acknowledgement would give his confidence a boost.
After the match, Klopp explained on BT Sport when asked about the striker: "He played a good game, played with a big heart and I like that a lot."
Have Your Say! How many goals do you think Nunez will score for Liverpool this season? Tell us what you think here.
The Reds boss added: “He’s the most angry about it but this is the life of a striker. And then he scores the goal fighting against the world to head it. The boy played a good game.”
Nunez managed to make up for his first half miss in the second period as he guided home Andy Robertson’s corner in the 49th minute. Elliott then extended the advantage even further just a couple of minutes later, but it was the Uruguayan’s second goal which had proved decisive in the win.
Nunez’s strike takes his record to six goals in 13 appearances since his big-money switch from Benfica in the summer - three of those having come in the Premier League. The 23-year-old has found the net in two out of his last three league appearances having missed the 1-0 reverse at the hands of Nottingham Forest.
