Luis Suarez hailed Darwin Nunez as ‘one of the best strikers in the world’ after scoring a 99th-minute winner for Liverpool at Nottingham Forest.

The Reds maintained their pace at the top of the Premier League table with a controversial 1-0 victory at the City Ground on Saturday. The visitors did not return the ball to Forest after play was stopped to tend to a head injury to Ibrahima Konate before Nunez popped up with a goal beyond the allotted eight minutes of added time.

Nunez was making his return from injury having sat out Liverpool’s last three games and came up with his 10th Premier League goal of the season when his side needed it most.

His Uruguay teammate and former Liverpool star Suarez, who now plays for MLS side Inter Miami, was asked about Nunez’s exploits following a 5-0 win against Orlando City in which he grabbed a goal and two assists.

“Yes, I saw! I saw and I am so happy for Liverpool, I am so happy for him because he is one of the best strikers in the world today,” Suarez said.

“I try my best every time on the pitch to help the team and today we did a really good job. I hope that the Miami fans are so happy.”

Suarez scored 82 goals in 133 games for Liverpool from 2011 to 2014 and was notably part of the Brendan Rodgers side that came so close to winning the Reds their first title in the Premier League era. He then left for Barcelona for a £65m fee and was given a hostile reception upon returning to Anfield in 2019 during Liverpool’s famous Champions League semi-final comeback.