How many goals has Darwin Nunez scored this season?

Darwin Nunez is now starting to look like the player Liverpool fans hoped he would be when he first joined from Benfica in the summer.

The Reds raised a few eyebrows when they forked out £64m for the Uruguay international in June, with the deal potentially rising to as much as £85m in the future - a figure which would make him the most expensive player in the club's history.

After scoring in the Community Shield win over Manchester City and then bagging in his first competitive game for the club, a 2-2 draw with Fulham on the opening day of the Premier League season, hopes were high that Nunez could rival Erling Haaland in the scoring charts this campaign.

But as Haaland took to scoring hat-tricks on a regular basis, Nunez found it much harder to get on the scoresheet.

However, in recent weeks Nunez has shown an upturn in form.

How many goals has Nunez scored for Liverpool this season?

A first-half brace against Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday has taken Nunez's overall tally for the season to eight goals in 17 competitive matches.

Five of his goals have come in the league, while he has also scored three in the Champions League.

As previously mentioned, he also scored in the 3-1 win over City in the Community Shield match in August - although this is not classed a competitive game.

How many more goals has Haaland scored than Nunez?

Haaland, meanwhile, has remarkably scored 23 goals in just 18 games this season.

The majority of his goals, 18, have come in the Premier League, with five scored in the Champions League.

He therefore already has a 15-goal lead over Nunez across all competitions, not including the Community Shield.

Nunez scored twice against Southampton on Saturday (Image: Alamy)

"His potential is incredible"

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been full of praise for Nunez and believes there's more to come from the striker.

When asked how good Nunez could eventually become, Klopp said: "Nobody knows, he doesn't know. Nobody knows, there is a lot [of potential] and it is so exciting, but he has to stay fit, he has to be available all the time.

“That's all important in the life of a professional football player. We have to work on all in all different areas. Then, the potential is incredible. It's not only speed, the attitude is really good, he is a real worker.

"Again, I tell you – and I know there are some people out there who think, 'Technically, not sure, first touch...' – it is incredible. That he doesn't bring it on the pitch all the time, the first touch might be here or there sometimes, is nothing to do with technique.

"It is just a bit too late, awareness, orientation and all these kind of things, but it is all possible to develop and to learn. That's where we are at, it's really exciting, but where it can go I have no idea."