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When Liverpool got their hands on the Premier League trophy back on May 25, few would have been surprised if they never saw Darwin Nunez in a Reds shirt again.

The Uruguayan had ultimately struggled under Arne Slot, failing to consistently impress under the Dutchman as a starting berth eluded him.

He started just once in the Premier League in 2025 - against doomed Southampton - and scored only three times in the calendar year with his brace against Brentford the only strikes accompanying his goal against the Saints.

The 26-year-old was repeatedly linked with an Anfield exit during the final months of the campaign, and a summer exit seemed inevitable.

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But for all the talk of interest from Napoli and Saudi Arabia, with links to Atletico Madrid and AC Milan seemingly already going quiet, he remains a Liverpool player.

And following a season where he often struggled in front of goal, scoring only seven times in total, it took him just eight minutes upon his return to action to get his name on the scoresheet.

Sprinting onto a loose back pass, he rounded goalkeeper Daniel Iversen before rolling into the back of the net to double Liverpool’s lead.

But the loudest cheers were saved for his celebration as he dedicated the strike to Diogo Jota by recreating not one but two of the Portuguese’s own goal celebrations.

Performing Jota’s shark celebration, he then sat down as he became the latest player in the world of football to honour the forward by doing the gamer celebration, before pointing to the sky.

Following his contribution, supporters wasted no time in chanting Nunez’s name - as game-going fans have always done throughout his Liverpool career

The Uruguayan - who is now sporting a shaven head - might split opinion online but he remains a firm favourite on the terraces.

Despite the ongoing transfer speculation, no-one would complain if he were to definitively succeed at Anfield once and for all - albeit against the odds.

He had already earned cheers prior to his strike when chasing down Iversen within seconds of coming on with Nunez’s substitute appearance much more in line with what supporters had grown accustomed to when he is on his game - as opposed to his often anonymous displays in the second half of last season.

And while he did not officially claim an assist against the Lilywhites, it was his immaculate dummy from Ben Doak's low cross that gifted an unmarked Cody Gakpo a simple finish for the Reds' third of the afternoon.

Of course, that is not to say Nunez will remain a Liverpool player

Speculation about his future continues, even if the latest reports from Italy over the weekend suggest Napoli might find themselves priced out of a deal.

Meanwhile, Slot’s decision to start Federico Chiesa in attack over Nunez may tell its own story.

But whether the striker remains a Red this summer or not, all he can do in the meantime is deliver in front of goal

This might only have been a friendly against Championship opposition, but on this occasion, consider it job done.

His Liverpool future might remain uncertain, but if Nunez wishes to fight for his Anfield future, the door has at least been left ajar.