WATCH: Darwin Nunez celebrates stunning goal by announcing he is becoming a father

After being restored back to the starting lineup, Darwin Nunez rewarded Arne Slot's faith on Saturday night by scoring Liverpool's first goal against Aston Villa. The Uruguayan broke the tie at Anfield today after 20 minutes, having been a substitute versus Bayer Leverkusen in the middle of the week.

The goal also owed a lot to Mohamed Salah farther down the field, even though the 25-year-old maintained his cool to provide the strike from a tight angle. The Liverpool counterattack that started from a Villa corner towards the Anfield Road end was actually the cause of Nunez's goal. Virgil van Dijk eventually eliminated the threat from the set piece by picking out Mo Salah as the visitors' defense was stretched, displaying incredible vision and skill.

Leon Bailey seemed to deny the Egyptian a clear chance to score, but luckily for the Jamaican and the Reds, the Uruguayan striker broke the ball, took it past Emi Martinez, and finished in the net despite the Argentine goalkeeper's best efforts.

THE WORLD IS NOT READY FOR MORE DARWIN NUNEZ CHAOS OFFSPRING ❤️ pic.twitter.com/r3X4QdivXR

— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) November 9, 2024

Virgil van Dijk - the mastermind behind the goal against Aston Villa

Even though Nunez is frequently criticized by commentators for his lack of poise, he clearly deserves a lot of praise for scoring the goal so well. However, he will be amongst the first to thank Virgil van Dijk for starting the counterattack. In addition to seeing the pass made to Salah, who had no trouble getting through on goal, the Liverpool captain's play was outstanding since he picked up the Egyptian with flawless technique and gave him the opportunity to break the deadlock.

The former Southampton defender is a key member of the Reds and the epitome of someone who leads by example across the back because of his composure and quick thinking. For this reason, FSG should have no trouble signing him to a new deal soon. However, it might not be easy since there might be other offers from clubs tying him to bigger contracts.