KEY POINTS

  • Darwin Nunez moved from Benfica to Liverpool
  • Liverpool signed Nunez at a club-record fee
  • Liverpool defeated Leipzig 5-0 on Thursday

Jurgen Klopp on Thursday said Darwin Nunez was "different" than Liverpool's current or previous strikers.

Nunez scored his maiden goal for Liverpool in the Reds' pre-season 5-0 victory over RB Leipzig at Red Bull Arena Stadium. In fact, four out of those five goals belonged to Nunez, who moved from Benfica to Liverpool at a club-record of $102 million this summer.

After losing their opening pre-season fixture to Manchester United in Bangkok, Liverpool beat Crystal Palace and Leipzig.

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with his eighth-minute strike against Leipzig on Thursday before asking Nunez to take the penalty early in the second half. The Uruguayan striker, who came off the bench, successfully scored from the spot before he netted a brace just three minutes later with a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Nunez completed a hat-trick with a Harvey Elliot cross from close range. Liverpool's other new summer signing, Fabio Carvalho, set up Nunez's fourth goal and the Reds' fifth.

"We always think that if you pay a lot of money then the players feel no pressure or whatever. They are all completely normal human beings and the first touch is not perfect then all of a sudden. This generation of players read social media, which is really not smart, but they do. All of a sudden you get in a rush and these kinds of things," Klopp said after the game, according to Liverpool's website.

"That's the best way obviously to stop all these discussions. He's a different striker to what we have or what we had, but he's a really good one," added Klopp.

Benfica forward Darwin Nunez is set to sign for Liverpool
Liverpool signed Darwin Nunez from Benfica ahead of the 2022-23 campaign AFP / CARLOS COSTA

Liverpool are scheduled to travel to Austria for their next pre-season fixture, which is against RB Salzburg next Wednesday. After this, the Reds have their Community Shield game against Manchester City at King Power Stadium on July 30.

Klopp's Liverpool will then host Strasbourg at Anfield on July 31 before beginning their 2022-23 Premier League campaign with a trip to Craven Cottage. They will take on Fulham on Aug. 6.

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