Darwin Nunez was the target of repeated abuse from the Southampton supporters on an evening where he easily could have boiled over and lost his cool.
Instead, our No.9 scored and helped the Reds reach the semi-final of the Carabao Cup and one moment in particular perhaps summed up his performance best.
Targeted by both Joe Aribo and Jan Bednarek, the Uruguayan had his shirt pulled and looked to clash specifically with the Polish defender.
As it appeared that a reaction would follow the referee’s decision to award our side a free kick, the striker instead perfectly diffused the situation by comically offering a hug.
If we compare this to the headbutt reaction that came during his first few games at Anfield, we can see clear growth from the 25-year-old.
Add on the recent video of his improved English, it seems obvious that this is a young man adapting to life on Merseyside.
With so many stories linking the former Benfica forward to a move away from L4 in the coming transfer windows, these actions certainly do suggest they are not being pursued by the player himself.
Much like he sushed the supporters at St. Mary’s after the opening goal of the game, that’s what he must continue doing with on-field performances.
Arne Slot rested many of his most senior options for the Carabao Cup game and so the presence of our record signing shows that he needed minutes and goals for his confidence.
Darwin made the most of this opportunity and now that must continue in order to ensure a lengthy career in a red shirt.
You can watch the footage of Nunez courtesy of the EFL (via @jatynwa on X):
— 잣 (@jatynwa) December 18, 2024
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