Darwin Núñez has already been told what he needs to do next as Liverpool can't afford false dawn

After 12 games and over 50 days, Darwin Núñez’s drought is finally over. The Uruguayan was back on the scoresheet yesterday as Liverpool saw off Burnley to move to the top of the Premier League. His expertly curled effort gave the Reds the lead at Turf Moor within the opening few minutes and set them on their way to what admittedly should have been a much more comfortable win.

Nevertheless, Liverpool got the win it needed following recent draws with Manchester United and Arsenal. Perhaps even more importantly though, Núñez can take a much-needed confidence boost. After some promising form earlier in the season had raised hopes that the 24-year-old was finding his feet at Anfield, Núñez’s recent drought had caused a bit of a rethink among some.

Having found his scoring boots again though, and with Mohamed Salah soon heading off to the Africa Cup of Nations, expectations will once again be raised. How Núñez reacts to goal at Burnley will be key, with former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge having already outlined what the former Benfica star and Jürgen Klopp need to do next.

"In terms of Darwin, he needs to be coached, he needs to do training sessions where he is making those runs at pace and practicing particular types of finishes when he's doing it at match tempo,” Sturridge told Sky Sports last month . It does seem like he's not being composed and relaxing. He is smashing the leather off the ball sometimes.

Nuñez's final work

"It comes with analyzing yourself first. Your shots. Looking and being critical of yourself. Then analyzing other players. Why are they scoring? What are they doing different? You can ask some of the legends. I'm sure [Luis] Suárez would speak to him. My finishing could have improved even more. No striker has every tool but it's about trying to have as many as you can. So when it comes to the moments, you can do damn near any of the finishes you want to do.” Now more than ever, Liverpool needs Núñez’s latest strike to not be a false dawn. It will be up to him, Klopp and his coaching staff to ensure he can step up in Salah’s absence, and realize the potential so many have seen in him previously.