Darwin Núñez's offensive chaos is carrying the charge for Liverpool's title | Liverpool

tBolts may be wearing out, panels may be flying off and ball bearings may be slipping in their wake, but Liverpool's Premier League season continues to move forward. TO 4-1 victory at the Gtech Community Stadium came accompanied by jingling tendons and trembling knees as first Curtis Jones and then Diogo Jota left the field, both in a state of anguish, followed by Darwin Núñez at half-time.

Three more names to add to that increasingly long sick list; And in Núñez, in particular, a player that Jürgen Klopp and his team would not want to lose right now.

Núñez has traveled a fascinating path throughout his 18 months at Anfield, from new hope to sarcastic online target, to his current status as Lord of Misrule, an increasingly potent force of happy attacking chaos. There may be bumps, bubbles and scuffs along the way, but the fact remains the last time. Liverpool The one that lost with Núñez in the starting eleven was Real Madrid in March of last year.

It remains one of the key reasons why Liverpool are the league's top scorers, and why even here, with players collapsing at every turn like disposable cowboys in a Western penalty shoot-out, this team always looks like it can score. , and it does so in many different ways. .

It was Núñez who opened the game here after a slightly confusing first 20 minutes, chosen for the key moment of the game as a direct one-man football instrument. There was a kind of retro beauty to both Liverpool's first and third goals, moves lifted wholesale from Wing Commander Charles Reep's script, the POMO playbook. Send it long, hit the space, second ball. Catch them quickly, break. And most important of all, hit Darwin.

And so it happened when 35 minutes had passed. Núñez had not started the game well. For a time he seemed always to be drifting away from the direction of the game, a man who made all the right runs, although not necessarily in the right order. Halfway through the first half he changed gears and started throwing himself at the door frame of this game, seeing if it would start to give way and splinter.

There was powerful chaos after a deep cross where Núñez had two, maybe three opportunities to get the ball into his orbit. Then came the first goal, and a point from which Liverpool never looked back.

It came from a long set-piece clearance by Mark Flekken returned straight to midfield by Virgil van Dijk, whose helmeted clearance fell perfectly into Jota's run. He headed towards Núñez, already at full speed and with a clear path towards the goal. There was time to think, plan, plot, and worry about human mortality. Núñez did not blink, but produced the perfect finish, passing the ball over Flekken in a surprisingly high, fine and smooth arc.

This was the sixth goal in his last 11 games, in addition to four assists. And it seems fair to say that Nunez has led Liverpool's attack without stumbling, stuttering or looking back in the absence of Mohamed Salah.

It is a rare quality to improve like this, to settle down and assert your will after such a difficult start; All those days Núñez seemed to spend rumbling around the pitch like a wandering farmer, anxious but always in the wrong place, chewing on your slippers, knocking over the tea tray, drinking from the toilet.

It would have been easy to shrink, to stop exposing yourself, to control that bullying energy. But Núñez's super strength is that he never stops coming, he doesn't take no for an answer, he is there every night at 4 in the morning biting your toes and suggesting you play catch with a Frisbee in the park.

It was Jota's departure that caused Salah's early return. He scored Liverpool's second for Alexis Mac Allister and then scored the third himself on another direct play. This time Caoimhín Kelleher kicked the long ball, Cody Gakpo flicked it in and Salah slid in to grab the loose ball and then push it into the far corner.

It was a lovely finish, and also evidence of Salah's enduring speed and agility, as witnessed by Nathan Collins' slightly embarrassed attempts to match his moves.

There were other points in favor for Liverpool. Conor Bradley was back, looking brilliant and brave as always. He could hear the visiting fans singing his name, as they always do, but with a slightly more tender feeling given recent events. Sometimes football seems like a peaceful place. Best of all, despite all the missing parts, Salah's return raises the possibility of a Darwin reunion for the final third of the season, should his fitness allow it. He re-stapled the doors. He keep the engine running. At the very least, it should be a lot of fun to watch.