LIVERPOOL assistant boss Pep Lijnders says Darwin Nunez is having a much better season than last year and that he sees him as a player full of fire.

The 24-year-old Uruguay striker, signed from Benfica in 2022 and scorer of 15 goals in all competitions for the Reds in the last campaign, has seven so far this term.

Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United made it 10 club appearances without netting, his last Liverpool goal coming in the 2-1 League Cup fourth-round win at Bournemouth in early November, but Lijnders says Nunez should not be judged on goals alone.