Darwin Nunez etches name among Liverpool greats and hits huge milestone vs Bournemouth

Darwin Nunez showcased his undeniable quality during Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Bournemouth on Sunday.

The Uruguayan put in a stunning second-half display at the Vitality Stadium, bagging a brace to help Liverpool move five points clear of second-placed Manchester City in the table - albeit Pep Guardiola's side have a game in hand.

Nunez's first was perhaps an uncharacteristically composed finish from the Reds' No. 9, curling the ball beyond the outstretched arm of Neto following Diogo Jota's lovely pass.

After Jota had grabbed a double himself to secure the points, Nunez calmly redirected Joe Gomez's wonderful cross to grab his second of the game in stoppage-time.

The South American took his tally to 20 goal contributions in all competitions on the south coast, an impressive total for someone who remains a figure of fun among some fanbases.

Nunez has produced ten goals and ten assists in 31 appearances and, according to Opta's Michael Reid, it's only the fifth time a Liverpool player has hit this total so soon into a season in the Premier League era.

The quickest to reach ten goals and ten assists was Luis Suarez during the 2013/14 season (23 appearances), while Steven Gerrard achieved this feat in both the 2007/08 (29) and 2013/14 (30) campaigns.

Mohamed Salah also managed this tally during the 2021/22 season - also in 31 games - putting Nunez among some esteemed company.

Nunez has already beaten his tally of 18 goal contributions from last season (14G, 4A) as he continues to excel under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage.

The 24-year-old also hit an impressive personal milestone with his double against the Cherries, the forward now boasting 100 goals for club and country across his senior career.

24 of those strikes have come with Liverpool, while 48 came with Benfica during his time in Portugal. Nunez also has 16 for Almeria, eight for Uruguay and four for CA Penarol.

If Nunez can reproduce the ruthless edge he showed against Bournemouth, his goal tally will be significantly larger come the end of the campaign.