Darren Bent has revealed that Adel Taarabt messaged him seconds after Darwin Nunez’ goal on Saturday after his prediction that ‘he will score goals’ was quickly vindicated.
Liverpool’s summer arrival sealed Community Shield glory at Wembley, nodding home Andy Robertson’s knockdown from close range to score Liverpool’s third goal in the 94th-minute. And on an occasion where comparisons between him and Erling Haaland were inevitable, it was the Uruguayan who came out on top this time.
Nunez scored 34 goals in 41 games last season for Benfica - including goals in both legs against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals - where he played alongside Taarabt.
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And Bent revealed that the mercurial winger had backed his former teammate to hit the ground running on Merseyside, adding that he was watching in awe as the Reds striker proved his quality despite some unwarranted pre-season criticism.
“There was a lot of criticism pre-season, but his movement and how sharp he is; wow.” Bent told TalkSPORT. “The first time when he opened up and went to dink Ederson, that’s when I thought ‘oh my goodness’.
“It’s funny because when he scored, the first person who messaged me 10 seconds later was Adel Taarabt, his former teammate. He said ‘I told you bro, he will score goals’.”
Nunez had suffered some jovial criticism - predominantly from non-Liverpool fans - as a result of some pre-season videos. But the former Benfica man hit four in a 5-0 pre-season win against RB Leipzig and has shown plenty of promise that he can replicate last season’s scintillating form.
He will hope for another chance to carry the momentum from Wembley into a potential Premier League debut this weekend, when the Reds travel to newly-promoted Fulham 0 the fourth season in a row where they have faced a promoted team on the opening weekend.
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