Nunez was unable to replicate his fine form from the international break against the Citizens, although did grab the headlines after getting into a heated exchange with Pep Guardiola on the full-time whistle.
However, the Mirror are reporting that his contribution in Saturday’s early kick-off triggered an appearance clause in the deal that brought the Uruguayan to Anfield in the summer of 2022.
A club record signing at £85m, only £64m of that figure was paid upfront for Nunez, with the remaining £21m made up of add-ons.
Liverpool paid Benfica £4.3m after the striker made 10 appearances and they’re now set to cough up another £8.5m following the landmark.
The final £8.5m will “depend on the individual and collective performance of the team throughout the contract.”
It’s been a strong start for Nunez this season, having registered 12 goals and seven assists in 16 starts for club and country so far.
That said, he is far from the finished article, still producing the occasional awe-inspiring miss from time to time.
And as such, some are yet to be convinced that Nunez will become a world-beater on Merseyside – with legendary Reds striker Robbie Fowler among those questioning the South American.
“How long do you give him?” Fowler wrote in his column for the Mirror.
“He arrived at Anfield almost 18 months ago now, and yet we are still talking about this potential, this ‘exciting rawness’. But you can’t go through your entire career being raw, can you?
“I do hope that Klopp will convert the rawness of Nunez into something special that allows Liverpool to win the title, as Gary Neville suggested, but I’m not yet convinced it will happen.”
However, on the side of the spectrum, fellow former Liverpool talisman Luis Suarez has hailed his Uruguayan teammate, highlighting the joy of playing alongside Nunez.
“I am in a role that leaves me very happy, trying to help with whatever I have to,” Suarez said. “I have one of the best No.9s in the world in front of me today, which is Darwin.
“The group needs him as he is performing and the only thing I have to do is contribute in what I have to and applaud him for what he is doing.”
