Darwin Nunez injury boost as Liverpool legend meets “old friend” at the AXA

Former Liverpool forward Maxi Rodriguez has provided an injury update of sorts on Darwin Nunez, after meeting his “old friend” at the AXA Training Centre.

Nunez was forced to pull out of the Uruguay squad for this month’s friendlies against the Basque Country and the Ivory Coast with a minor injury, but was expected to be fit for the visit of Brighton.

That appears to be the case, with the 24-year-old pictured outside at the AXA Training Centre as Liverpool returned to work on Wednesday.

He was accompanied by a former team-mate in Rodriguez, who played alongside a teenage Nunez on eight occasions for Uruguayan club Penarol in 2018.

“I met an old friend at Liverpool’s training session,” Rodriguez wrote on Twitter.

Having only retired in 2021, at the age of 40, the Argentine is currently on Merseyside after featuring for Liverpool’s legends side against Ajax on Saturday.

He started on the wing in a team also including the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, with the charity match ending in a 4-2 victory for the Reds.

While it is as yet unclear whether Nunez took part in full training, the expectation is that he has and will be available to start against Brighton on Sunday.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Wednesday, September 20, 2023: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (L) and Darwin Núñez during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Europa League Group E match between LASK and Liverpool FC. (Pic by Andrew Yeats/Propaganda)

Mohamed Salah also missed international duty this month but did so with a view to focusing on his long-term fitness and, therefore, will also be in contention.

There were no injuries for either Luis Diaz or Cody Gakpo while away with Colombia or the Netherlands respectively, while Diogo Jota is not far from a return either.

That could leave Jurgen Klopp with a full complement of senior forwards for the majority of the run-in, which could prove key as Liverpool fight for the Premier League and Europa League between now and the end of May.