Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal has applauded Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez for his goal against Real Madrid last night.
Nunez put Liverpool in-front with a cheeky flick just four minutes into a game which would end horribly for the Reds. Given the way the match panned out, the goal is unlikely to remembered with any kind of fondness. That’s a shame, because it was delightful.
One man who may remember it though, is Vidal. Watching events at Anfield on TV, the Flamengo star took to his Instagram stories to post several applauding hand emojis over a video of Nunez’s goal.
“Golazoooooo,” wrote the 35-year-old, along with a Uruguayan flag. A strike which deserved to be more than just a footnote in an emphatic Madrid victory.
Nunez provides a positive on chastening night
We’ve written plenty since last night to address the negatives of Liverpool’s display against Real. So here, let’s focus on this wholly positive moment.
How good was it to see Nunez run through and provide the finish with just four minutes on the clock? It gave hope that last night could perhaps see Liverpool return to their very best. Obviously, that didn’t happen. But it doesn’t take away from the quality of the goal.
Darwin often seems to be at his best when he doesn’t have to think about the finish he’s providing. We saw that at the weekend against Newcastle United, and this was very much from the same playbook. An instinctive, quick and unerring finish.
Two in two for the 23-year-old now, and signs that he’s finding his shooting boots once again. Amidst the wreckage of a terrible night at Anfield, that has to count for something.
Whether it does or not, we’ll soon find out. There’s no let-up for Liverpool as they head to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening. With Nunez seemingly in a rich vein of goal-scoring form, he’ll likely go from the start again at Selhurst Park.
The former Benfica striker doesn’t seem to let set-backs affect him in the way other players do. As a result, hopefully he will take confidence from this little run he’s having. After several lean months, that could be important for Liverpool’s wider form.
By that same logic, it was also good to see Mohamed Salah back on the scoresheet. The Egyptian’s part in Nunez’s opener shouldn’t be forgotten either – it was a beautiful, perfect ball in-between the defenders.
Salah now has two goals in three games and generally looked much livelier than we’ve seen him of late last night. If he and Nunez can put the result out of their minds last night and focus on their own performances, Liverpool will be better off for it in the long-run.