Liverpool star Darwin Nunez shuts up critics with goal vs Real Madrid

Liverpool star Darwin Nunez shut up his critics during the early stages of his side’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday night as he notched a stunning goal to open the scoring. The 23-year-old took just four minutes to get his name on the scoresheet as he cheekily flicked Mohamed Salah’s tantalising cross beyond Thibaut Courtois and into the back of the net.

Liverpool came into their clash with Real off the back of two victories after seeing off Everton and Newcastle in the Premier League, with their renewed confidence clear to see from the off as Jurgen Klopp’s side attempted to get the upper hand.

And Nunez illustrated his prodigious talents courtesy of his flicked goal, which took Courtois by surprise and nestled in the goal. Since joining Liverpool from Benfica for an initial £64million last summer, Nunez has been the subject of a myriad of criticism due to spurning a hatful of chances. But he showed that he belongs at the top of the game on Tuesday night as the away defence struggled to contain him.

Liverpool doubled their advantage 10 minutes later against the team they lost to in last season’s final as Salah pounced on a Courtois mistake. The Belgium goalkeeper, who starred in last May’s showpiece event, miscontrolled the ball on the edge of his six-yard box after it was passed back to him and the energetic Salah took full advantage as he pounced to bundle the ball in.

JUST IN: Jorginho opens up on reasons why he ditched Chelsea for Arsenal

Despite his struggles in front of goal this season, Nunez’s strike was his 12th of the season in all competitions. And earlier this month, the Uruguay international avowed that he expects to improve next season.

“It is a case of adapting,” explained Nunez. “Adapting is important. Obviously I still have many things to work on, for example my finishing. But I think the same thing is happening to me as happened to [Luis] 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.”