Former Liverpool frontman Michael Owen has hailed the importance of Darwin Nunez's goal against Rangers as the striker continued his resurgence.
Nunez, who joined the Reds from Benfica for what could become a club record fee, scored in his first two games for the club against Manchester City in the Community Shield and Fulham in the Premier League. However, he then went two months without a club goal as a red card against Crystal Palace set him back.
The Uruguayan is now back among the goals, netting in Sunday's defeat at Arsenal and adding another at Ibrox on Wednesday as Liverpool ran out 7-1 winners. And, while he's yet to reach the levels set by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Nunez now has a platform to build on.
"I think he’s a stop-start start, he got a red card early in his career and you want to make a big impression with your new team," Owen told BT Sport before the match at Ibrox. Liverpool fell behind early to Scott Arfield's goal, but Nunez hit the Reds' third before a quickfire Mohamed Salah hat-trick stole the headlines.
“Lets bear in mind, at the start of the season we were saying two big signings one at Man City, one at Liverpool, who’s going to score the most goals? At the moment it looks laughable because one is firing and one is finding his feet in the Premier League.
“A lot of people are writing him off or saying ‘ooh, I’m not sure about Liverpool’s new signing’. I don’t think he’s done anything wrong for Liverpool so far, he scored against Arsenal, he played fine [at home] against Rangers - a lot of chances."
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Owen, who scored more than 150 goals for Liverpool, was also asked about Nunez after the victory. While the former England international didn't feel the 23-year-old was at his sharpest, he suggested the goal will have done him a great deal of good.
"I think Nunez’s goal was important, I thought he was ragged today," he said. "I thought for the first hour, I love his movement, he makes galloping runs into the channels but his end product today was a little bit off. He needed that goal."
As well as it being a big night for Nunez, who had failed to score in his other European appearances this season, it was a significant one for Liverpool. The Reds now have nine points from four group games, and need just one more to make sure of a spot in the last 16.
Jurgen Klopp's side will take on Ajax in Amsterdam on October 26, knowing a point would see them through and a one-goal defeat could also be enough due to their goal difference advantage over the Dutch champions. Even if they lose at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, Liverpool would only need a point against already-qualified Napoli in their final game to guarantee themselves knockout football.
