Darwin Nunez is repeatedly proving perfect point to Arne Slot after Liverpool frustration

Darwin Nunez’s performance against Aston Villa could not have been more Darwin Nunez.

The Uruguayan returned to the starting line-up after being named on the Liverpool bench against Bayer Leverkusen, and he certainly made his presence felt. He took his chance to put the Reds ahead superbly from a difficult angle, showing exactly why fans have put so much faith in him.

Not only that, but his work on and off the ball – which has improved tenfold since his arrival at Anfield – was exemplary. Inevitably, we also saw the other side of his game that has proven to be a big frustration, having spurned a golden opportunity to double the lead before the break after racing through on goal.

• Trent Alexander-Arnold injury latest as Arne Slot offers update on Liverpool ace - 'Always serious'

• I heard blunt Kyle Walker and Pep Guardiola messages that say it all about huge Liverpool chance

That inconsistency in front of goal – which Alan Shearer suggests Arne Slot might not be able to fix – will leave some question marks over his place in the side, especially with Diogo Jota expected to be back soon after the international break.

What can’t be denied though is that Nunez has done what he needed to after what would have been a frustrating start to the season for him. As per Liverpool.com regular Andrew Beasley, the 25-year-old has scored or assisted in five of his seven starts this season, demonstrating perfectly the sort of impact he can have on the Reds.

While his strike against Villa may have only been his third goal this season, Nunez is certainly making his mark in a side that is flying high at the moment. And if he continues to get his chances, Slot has already expressed his confidence that the goals will follow.

“If we, as a team, can bring our attackers – not only him [Nunez], but also the other ones – as much as we can into dangerous positions, these players will score goals,” Slot said back in August.

“That’s also what we’ve seen in pre-season, where we even scored goals out of smaller chances.

“So it’s up to us to bring him, or Diogo or other attackers, as much as we can into promising positions for them. And then he, like all the others, will score the goals.”

Liverpool.com says: Nunez has certainly made a good impression over the last few games, and not just because of his goal yesterday. He has worked so hard on the other areas of his game, and you can see how much that benefits Liverpool at this moment in time.

As a striker, he will always be judged on his output of goals in wider football circles, but as long as he keeps having a positive impact when he’s playing, Slot and Liverpool’s fans will be more than happy.