Virgil van Dijk says Darwin Nunez can learn Liverpool press from Roberto Firmino

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk believes new signing Darwin Nunez can learn a lot from Roberto Firmino as the Uruguay international looks to cement his place in the team.

The summer signing came off the bench with half-an-hour to go in the Community Shield and won the penalty which allowed Mohamed Salah to put his side 2-1 up against Manchester City before stooping to head home from close range in added time to clinch victory.

Nunez, who scored four in the second half of a friendly against RB Leipzig last week, is being integrated gradually by manager Jurgen Klopp but the likelihood is he will succeed Firmino, who has been linked with a move to Juventus, sooner rather than later.

Bobby obviously mastered it (pressing). For Darwin to learn from Bobby, it’s good- Virgil van Dijk on Darwin Nunez

Firmino, the cornerstone of Klopp’s pressing philosophy, is in the final year of his contract but said after Saturday’s win said he wanted to stay the club.

Nunez, however, represents the long-term solution to the central striker’s role but for him to excel Van Dijk believes he would be wise to take some tips from the man he will eventually replace.

“He has to just keep working and keep learning. We play in a way that as a striker, you do a lot of defending as well. That’s something strikers have to learn,” said the Netherlands captain.

“Bobby obviously mastered it and I think he’s one of the best ones in that position to do it.

“For Darwin to learn from Bobby, but also bring his own qualities into the game with runs in behind, mixing it up, it’s good. He can mix it up, and he can defend from the front.”

There was consternation among a section of the fanbase when Sadio Mane was allowed to leave for Bayern Munich in the summer to