Darwin Nunez enjoys 'perfect night' with four goals for Liverpool - in pictures

Uruguayan striker earns praise from manager and teammate following star turn in win at Red Bull Arena

Darwin Nunez scores Liverpool's second goal from the penalty spot in their friendly win over RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena, on Thursday July 21, 2022. Reuters

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez celebrates after completing his hat-trick. AFP

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. PA

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal with Roberto Firmino and Thiago Alcantara. Reuters

Liverpool's Luis Diazunder pressure from Willi Orban of RB Leipzig. AFP

Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah. PA

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. Getty

Liverpool attacker Luis Diaz. Reuters

Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai and Thiago Alcantara of Liverpool fight for the ball. PA

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez celebrates with Trent Alexander-Arnold after scoring. EPA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp complains to the linesman. AFP

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho. Getty

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez celebrates after scoring against RB Leipzig. EPA

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates with Roberto Firmino. EPOA

Darwin Nunez scores Liverpool's fourth goal to complete his hat-trick. Reuters

Mohamed Salah celebrates with Roberto Firmino after scoring Liverpool's first goal. Getty

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold under pressure from Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku. AFP

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring with Jordan Henderson. AFP

Marcel Halstenberg of RB Leipzig pulls the shirt of Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah. Getty

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp. EPA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for new signing Darwin Nunez after what he described as a "perfect night" for the €75 million Uruguay striker against RB Leipzig.

Nunez, 23, scored four of Liverpool's five goals in a thumping 5-0 pre-season win over the German side at the Red Bull Arena.

After Egyptian Mohamed Salah had given the Merseyside club the lead in the eighth minute, Nunez came off the bench after the break and took over penalty duties, making no mistake from the spot to open his account.

The former Benfica striker doubled his tally from distance and completed a quick-fire hat-trick by poking home from close range following a cross from Harvey Elliott before adding a fourth from a brilliant counter-attack.

Klopp praised his new recruit for showing a cool head, particularly from the penalty spot, and believes scoring his first goals in a Liverpool shirt since joining last month will be a weight off Nunez's shoulders.

"Mo gives Darwin the penalty and Darwin, Pandora's box was open," Klopp told liverpoolfc.com. "That's of course a perfect night for him.

"We always think that if you pay a lot of money then the players feel no pressure or whatever.

"They are all completely normal human beings and the first touch is not perfect then all of a sudden ... This generation of players read social media, which is really not smart, but they do.

"All of a sudden you get in a rush and these kinds of things. That's the best way obviously to stop all these discussions."

Liverpool 2021/22 season ratings

MANAGER: Jurgen Klopp – 9. A year ago the manager looked a broken man. Personal and professional problems made 2020/21 a difficult campaign. Last season he recovered his bounce and his deployment of the squad while competing on four fronts was superb. The added bonus for the Kop is he has extended his contract until 2026. A triumph of a year, even if the two biggest trophies got away from him. Getty Images

GOALKEEPERS: Alisson Becker – 9. The Brazilian is among the best in the world at his position. His shotstopping is magnificent – especially one-on-one – and his distribution is excellent. He managed the defence with aplomb, too, directing those in front of him. A key component in the team. EPA

Caoimhin Kelleher ¬– 7. The Irishman did not get much playing time but he made the most of it when he did. His biggest moment came in the League Cup final against Chelsea when he made two crucial saves and scored a penalty in the shoot-out. The most reliable of backups. PA

DEFENDERS: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 8. The 23-year-old was again the creative hub of the team. His forward play and his crossing are vital to the way the side plays. Sure, he had some tricky moments defensively when opponents managed to exploit the space behind him, but it was a risk worth taking. He oozed class. Getty Images

Joe Gomez – 6. The 25-year-old dropped down the pecking order at centre-half after returning from long-term injury. On the plus side, he was impressive when filling in at right-back. He has done well enough to likely earn a contract extension. Reuters

Joel Matip – 8. One of the big question marks over the 30-year-old had been his robustness. Injuries were not a factor last season. His use of space, quickness and his ability to bring the ball out from the back were outstanding. It bodes well for the future. Reuters

Ibrahima Konate – 7. The Frenchman is a work in progress but he made significant advances in the season. He is sometimes skittish on the ball but improved with every outing – his best game was the Champions League final. His physicality is impressive and he was a threat in the opposition box. At just 23 he has massive room for improvement. PA

Virgil van Dijk – 8. It took a while for the Dutchman to return to his imperious best after returning from a cruciate ligament injury. He regained his stature as the season progressed. His commanding presence was vital to the team’s success. PA

Andrew Robertson – 8. The Scot’s boundless energy and his will to win were evident in every game he played. His crossing added a huge amount of threat to the Liverpool attack. He was one of the major figures in the side. AP Photo

Kostas Tsimikas – 7. They love the Greek at Anfield and every time he appeared in place of Robertson the crowd loved his approach. There was very little drop-off on the left side when the 26-year-old was involved. Reuters

MIDFIELDERS: Jordan Henderson – 7. The captain’s workrate and willingness to subvert his own game to help his teammates remained impressive. He might have slowed down a little at 31 but his experience more than made up for any reduction in pace. His leadership showed throughout the campaign. EPA

Fabinho – 8. The Brazilian is the man who seizes control of the midfield. His contribution was enormous and he supplied the platform from which the team could play. The defence were frequently grateful for his protective tackling. AP Photo

Thiago Alcantara – 9. At the beginning of the season some were still asking whether the 31-year-old was the right fit for Liverpool. Those questions have long been put to bed. His passing was often wonderful; his pressing remarkably effective. A standout campaign. EPA

Naby Keita – 6. The Guinean had moments when he looked brilliant and other games where he needed to offer more. He did not produce the consistency that the team needed over the season but a good finish to the campaign earned him a positive rating. EPA

James Milner – 7. The 36-year-old did everything asked of him. Much of that meant coming off the bench to help see games to their conclusion but the veteran put everything into every performance. Mr Reliable. AFP

Curtis Jones – 6. The 21-year-old didn’t develop quite as quickly as he might have hoped but that was due to an eye injury and the strength of the squad. He showed enough quality to be optimistic for the future. EPA

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – 4. It was not a good season for the 28-year-old. His opportunities were limited and when the chances to play came along he rarely shone. With so many impressive performers, he found himself at the back of the queue and a summer exit seems inevitable. AP Photo

FORWARDS: Mohamed Salah – 9. The Egyptian remained the best attacker in the Premier League and perhaps the world. Even after taking a month off to play in the Africa Cup of Nations, he won the Golden Boot with 23 league goals. Defences were visibly unnerved by his presence. EPA

Roberto Firmino – 7. The Brazilian dropped down the pecking order but that was because of the abundance of attacking quality rather than his own failings. He was sometimes overshadowed by his teammates but his clever movement and touches frequently improved the side. AP Photo

Sadio Mane – 8. The Senegalese menaced defences. At times his competitive instincts meant he came close to overstepping the mark but he mainly stayed on the right side of the line. He will be sorely missed when he leaves Anfield this summer. Reuters

Diogo Jota – 7. The Portuguese maintained his fine form throughout the campaign. His direct running at defenders and his poacher’s instinct in the area proved effective. EPA

Luis Diaz – 8. The Colombian has been sensational since arriving from Porto in January. He slotted into the attack as if he had been at Anfield for years. A brilliant buy for the club. AFP

Divock Origi – 6. The Belgian departs Merseyside in a wave of affection. He was never a natural fit for the side’s style but he gave the team a different look and scored vital goals. The striker showed total commitment every time he played. PA

Takumi Minamino – 6. The Japanese spent most of his time on the bench. He was top scorer in both domestic cup campaigns and never lacked for effort. A move is likely in the summer and he should thrive elsewhere with more playing time. Reuters

Harvey Elliott – 6. The 19-year-old started the season expecting to contribute regularly but a serious ankle injury in September slowed his progress. By the time he came back in February, the dynamics of the team had changed and there were fewer chances for the youngster. There will be plenty of time for him to blossom. EPA

Liverpool defender Joel Matip was equally effusive in his praise of Nunez, adding that his new teammate will prove a handful for Premier League defences this season.

"I think everybody is really happy for him and was looking for him [in the dressing room]," Matip told reporters.

"Great finish, great speed and the body he always puts in - I think it will be really difficult for opponents."

Liverpool head to Austria for a week-long training camp as they step up preparations for the new Premier League season.

The Reds begin their campaign with a trip Fulham on August 6.