Darwin Nunez put his critics to rest on Thursday by scoring four goals as Liverpool defeated RB Leipzig 5-0 in a preseason friendly.
The 23-year-old striker, who set a club record when he joined the Reds for £85 million last month, was ridiculed on social media by supporters of other teams after games against Manchester United, Crystal Palace, and even during practice.
Even though Nunez is still getting used to his new squad and has yet to compete for his new employers, some have already written him off as a costly failure. Crazy, eh?
However, those same individuals were forced to retract their hasty judgments after the Uruguayan striker, who replaced Roberto Firmino at halftime, turned in a Man of the Match performance.
After three minutes of play, Nunez scored his first goal of the night from the penalty spot.
By the 68th minute, he had accomplished his hat-trick, and in the last minutes, the South American added a fourth goal to further accentuate the score.
What did Darwin Nunez's performance elicit from Jurgen Klopp?
After the final whistle, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reportedly said, "The box of Pandora was opened for Darwin and then of course it was the perfect night for him."
"We often assume that if you spend a lot of money, the players won't feel any pressure, but they are entirely regular people!
"And if the initial touch isn't flawless, this player generation will read social media, which is really not smart. Still, they do.
Donald Nunez
BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 12: On July 12, 2022, in Bangkok, Thailand, Darwin Nunez #27 of Liverpool watches as his team competes against Manchester United in a preseason friendly. (Image)
"You suddenly become hurried. The greatest way to end all of these conversations, though, is tonight.
"He's different from the strikers we now have, but he's a pretty excellent one," the coach said.
What was said about Darwin Nunez by RB Leipzig on Twitter?
Nunez and the game ball were included in a post from Liverpool with the remark, "It hasn't been a horrible night, has it, @Dawinn99?"
Following Liverpool's tweet, RB Leipzig's immediate reply went viral: "When's the rematch without Darwinn99? That person is a monster.
Even though it was just a preseason friendly, it's still uncommon for one of the top clubs to tweet another about a particular player after a game.
RB Leipzig, who won the German Cup and placed fourth in the Bundesliga last year, also advanced to the semifinals of the Europa League.
Who knows, maybe they felt a little sorry for Nunez after the recent outrage on social media and wanted to cheer him up.
Against Man City, Darwin Nunez might make his competitive Liverpool debut.
Whatever the case, Nunez will continue to put in long hours and practice hard in preparation for the 2022–23 season.
On July 27, Liverpool will play Salzburg in their final preseason friendly before facing Manchester City three days later in the Community Shield.
Donald Nunez
BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 12: On July 12, 2022, in Bangkok, Thailand, Darwin Nunez #27 of Liverpool watches as his team competes against Manchester United in a preseason friendly. (Image)
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