Liverpool’s season is officially up and running, and so is Darwin Nunez’s Reds career.
The Uruguayan was the matchwinner at Anfield on Wednesday night, his first-half header securing a second 1-0 win in the space of three days, this time against West Ham.
It was Nunez’s first home goal for his new club, and he might have had a hat-trick on the night, hitting the post with one fierce strike and seeing Lukasz Fabianski deny him two on further occasions.
The Hammers, meanwhile, can reflect on Jarrod Bowen’s penalty miss, just before half-time, as a crucial turning point.
The England hopeful was denied by Alisson Becker having been felled by Joe Gomez, and West Ham failed to capitalise on a nervous home crowd in the dying stages, with Gianluca Scamacca and Said Benrahma wasting chances, and a combination of Alisson and James Milner somehow denying Tomas Soucek a late equaliser.
For Liverpool, it is only the second time this season they have managed back-to-back wins in the league.
They move up to seventh in the table, and on Saturday have the chance to give their campaign further momentum, with a trip to bottom club Nottingham Forest.