News'Darwin Nunez has all the qualities for a modern-day striker'

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Virgil van Dijk praised Darwin Nunez after the Uruguay forward was again influential as Liverpool beat Southampton 3-1.

Nunez produced two fine finishes to ensure the Reds pulled away from their visitors, who had equalised Roberto Firmino’s opener, at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

The summer signing from Benfica now heads to the World Cup having scored nine goals in 18 appearances, only 10 of which have been starts, for his new club.

Van Dijk said: “He has all the qualities for a modern-day striker - that is the reason why we bought him.

“He is learning how we want to play, he is learning what we expect from him. He plays a little bit on the left but also has a free role to come into the middle.

“It takes time. It is a new team, new environment, new country, new language so it is absolutely normal for him to take a little bit more time [to settle in] but there is no doubt the qualities are there and the goals will follow.

“It’s obviously frustrating when you have a price tag like that and the goals are not flowing but we never doubted his quality and I think he’s done very well.”

Watch Darwin's best bits v Southampton
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