Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates
Darwin Nunez scored the vital equaliser for Liverpool against Southampton on Saturday afternoon
Liverpool are closing in on a record-equalling 20th English top flight title after beating Southampton 3-1 at Anfield on Saturday afternoon. Arne Slot's team sat 16 points clear of Arsenal on Sunday morning before the Gunners travelled to Old Trafford to face Manchester United.
But the faintest hope of a dramatic title race collapse was made possible at half-time against the Saints. Liverpool were left frustrated with Ivan Juric's relegation strugglers finding themselves 1-0 up after the first 45 minutes.
The Reds were losing to a team who have just nine points all season and only two wins. It would have been arguably the greatest upset in Premier League history if they had managed to cling on. Inevitably though, a mixture of Liverpool's brilliance and Southampton's frailty began to surface in the second half.
And it was the much-maligned Darwin Nunez who netted the vital equaliser. Mohamed Salah went on to net a brace to seal the three points, but it was Nunez who got the Reds back into the game.
Salah, Ryan Gravenberch, Diogo Jota, and Alisson have since recognised Nunez's contribution, with all four players posting him on their Instagram stories. Whatever anyone says about the misfiring Uruguay striker, he remains a popular member of Liverpool's dressing room.
Mohamed Salah has been among the Liverpool players to post a picture with Darwin Nunez (Image: @mosalah)
There may now be some calls for the forward to start in Tuesday's Champions League last 16 second leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain. Slot has recently credited Nunez with a positive response to public criticism after his substitute appearance helped secure a vital 1-0 win at PSG in the first leg last week.
"I think he was just back to being normal Darwin, the player he was for seven or eight months [previously]," he said.
"I think once or twice - for the games I mentioned - he was exceptional and for the fans, he is so loved by the fans because he always gives everything since he's been here.
"That is what he's always done, that is what he did against Paris Saint-Germain and that is what he did in the last week as well. He had one or two games that were not perfect, that also had to do with him missing that chance against Villa. But sometimes, these things happen and now he is back to being the normal Darwin."
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