Darwin Nunez already meeting Liverpool standard…

Darwin Nunez already meeting Liverpool standard despite following Iago Aspas trend

It wasn't the usual reaction to netting a few goals in a pre-season friendly. But, given the last week or so, you couldn't blame Darwin Nunez for celebrating his achievement.

The new Liverpool signing posed for a congratulatory selfie before leaving the Red Bull Arena with the matchball having netted four times as a second-half substitute in the 5-0 romp at RB Leipzig on Thursday evening.

Sure, it isn't often a player bags a quadruple, even in a warm-up encounter. However, it was the overblown, ridiculous reaction to his first steps since arriving from Benfica that perhaps underpinned Nunez's obvious delight at getting off the mark for his new club.

The compilation boys, editing fingers at the ready to put together a hall of shame, were left frustrated.

And how unusual Nunez's contribution was is made clear when compared to those of past forwards who have began their Liverpool careers during the summer programme. Indeed, during the Premier League era, no new striker signing has scored more times during a debut pre-season than the Uruguay international.

Of course, many new arrivals haven't been given the luxury of easing their way into their new surrounds. The previous three main forward captures were all signed during the course of the campaign - Luis Diaz in January, Diogo Jota in September 2020 and Takumi Minamino nine months previous.

Looking further back, the same applies to both Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez who were snapped up on the same day in January 2012. Mario Balotelli was bought after the season had started in August 2014, while Dirk Kuyt, Fernando Morientes, the on-loan Nicolas Anelka, Jari Litmanen and Emile Heskey were all in a similar position.

So what of those previous Liverpool strikers who were hoping to build up some momentum after a summer arrival?

Unsurprisingly, goals - or lack of - in warm-up games don't always correlate to what then happens when the real stuff begins. For example, Dominic Solanke netted three times in the 2017 close season but only ever scored once in a competitive match for Liverpool.

Of other recent signings, Roberto Firmino didn't score when he first arrived in 2015 although Divock Origi notched twice and Danny Ings and Christian Benteke once, while Sadio Mane also netted a solitary strike in the summer of 2016.

Fernando Torres was outscored by Andriy Voronin in the pre-season of 2007 but had far the greater Anfield career, while Peter Crouch's blank in 2005 set the tone for a long wait before belatedly beginning to make his mark under Rafael Benitez.

Sometimes, though, the signs are there straight away. Robbie Keane, Milan Jovanovic, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini all failed to score during their first pre-season, similar to the infamous Sean Dundee. Karl-Heinz Riedle was likewise, but had a positive impact both on and off the pitch.

The remainder all found the target ahead of the campaign beginning. But only two have matched Nunez's output.

The most recent, inevitably, is Mohamed Salah, who scored in four separate games during 2017 which allowed him to hit the ground running in spectacular fashion. The Egyptian hasn't looked back since.

But the other name shows why a good pre-season isn't always a portent of what's to come. Back in 2013, Iago Aspas also notched four goals in different matches to earn himself a starting role when the Premier League season began at home to Stoke City. However, the Spaniard went on to score only once for Liverpool with his most memorable contribution a misguided corner against Chelsea as the title slipped away.

Nunez will know the hard work is only just getting started, his script yet to be written. With two friendlies still remaining, there's every chance he can set a new summer landmark. But avoiding the Aspas trap will be his chief concern.

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