Despite an avalanche of injuries and absences to key players across every department, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool keep on churning toward a stunning end to the season, with Darwin Nunez scoring at the death to preserve his side's position at the top of the Premier League.
It was not a trademark display from the visitors away at Nottingham Forest, but then can they be blamed after a relentless recent schedule that has seen players drop like flies? Teenagers such as Bobby Clark and Jayden Danns have been instrumental in maintaining the first-class form.
But it was club-record signing Nunez who popped up off the bench – returning from an injury that has ruled him out of the past three fixtures – to send the travelling Reds into rapture.
Darwin Nunez's stunning return vs Forest
Liverpool needed a hero and who else but Nunez should step up to score when his side needed him most? Criticised and chastised and chided by many, the Uruguayan centre-forward has taken his seasonal tally up to 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions, with 17 direct contributions from just 16 starts in the Premier League.
Absent for the past several matches, the seemingly indomitable Reds kept clinching results through a Herculean collective effort but the former Benfica man's return has demonstrated just how important he is for Klopp's side, offering a singular set of skills that could prove the difference in the title race.
Premier League
02/03/2024
1-0 win
Premier League
22/10/2022
1-0 loss
FA Cup
20/03/2022
1-0 win
Premier League
05/04/1999
2-2 draw
Premier League
15/03/1097
1-1 draw
Cody Gakpo started up front, as he has done with regularity recently, and while the Netherlands international has played an important role this season, versatile and boasting a healthy return of 11 goals and five assists in all competitions, he will now be concerned for his starting berth from now on following an ineffective display.
Why Cody Gakpo must be benched after Forest struggle
The Netherlands international has been a reliable utility man this season but with Nunez now back, he might find his name tethered to the bench more often.
As per Sofascore, Gakpo played 84 minutes at the City Ground and missed two good opportunities, failing with his one dribble attempt, taking just 33 touches and winning only one (or 12%) of his eight contested duels, hardly producing the strong display to convince Klopp that he should remain a starting regular.
Gakpo did improve after the break after moving onto the right wing, but he squandered two chances and failed to make it all click, with This Is Anfield's Mark Delgado particularly disappointed by his meek effort, handing him a 4/10 match rating.
He said: 'One or two moments of good link-up play but his two most notable contributions were to nick the ball off Van Dijk from a corner and to misplace a header back into the box when played in by Alexis. Second half was pure and desperately poor, though.
'Was a non-entity for long stretches at a time then wasted one of the only clear chances we fashioned, blazing wild and wide with two in the centre waiting for a pass.'
Liverpool just keep on going and while Gakpo didn't enjoy his finest hour, Liverpool's injury list has been trimmed and now there is a palpable sense that the Anfield side are moving inexorably toward a grand slam finish to the campaign.