DARWIN NUNEZ rediscovered his goal-scoring touch in the nick of time to put Liverpool top of the table.

The Uruguayan has not found the net since November 1st but popped up with an early goal here.

3Darwin Nunez opened the scoringCredit: AFP3Diogo Jota netted the secondCredit: Reuters3It was his first goal since returning from injuryCredit: ReutersAnd more of those are going to be needed with top marksman Mo Salah heading off to the African Cup of Nations early in the New Year.

Diogo Jota is another who is going to be crucial while the Egyptian is away and he marked his return from injury by adding a late second.

It all meant Jurgen Klopp kept up his perfect Boxing Day record – winning on December 26th for a sxith time out of six.

With Arsenal not in action until Thursday, Liverpool knew a win would take them to the summit and turn up the heat on the Gunners.

But it was a fourth game in the space of 10 days for Klopp’s men – and he chose to be cautious.

He made five changes from the draw with Arsenal on Saturday – but this has been a happy hunting ground for him in recent years.

The Reds have won seven of their last eight trips to this part of East Lancashire.

Klopp had suggested last week it was hardly the ideal place to spend Boxing Day but it could have been worse.

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The Clarets had lost all but one of their nine Prem fixtures at Turf Moor this season.

Despite their win at Fulham at the weekend, they are already facing a huge task to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Even so Vincent Kompany broke Liverpool hearts plenty of times during his playing days – and hoped to do the same in his first meeting with them as a boss.

His team made an encouraging start but forward Zeki Amdouni picked the wrong option when he sliced well wide from a decent position.

And just moments later, Nunez showed him how it should be done as he collected a pass from Cody Gakpo on the edge of the box.

The Uruguayan shaped his low shot around James Trafford to score his first goal in 13 appearances for the Reds – his last one coming way back in early November.

Mohamed Salah is looking for his 150th Liverpool goal and wants it before he heads off to play for his country.

The Egyptian saw a first-time snapshot tipped over by Trafford – for the first of a string of saves by the England Under 21 man.

Gakpo then sliced an effort high and wide after a wonderful pass by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Dutch forward thought he had scored his team’s second when he lashed home a loose ball but ref Paul Tierney blew for a foul.

The VAR saw the tug by Nunez on Charlie Taylor – and while it looked a soft one there was not enough evidence to overturn the decision.

Gakpo picked out Salah with an inch-perfect pass but his fellow forward chose to go early with his 20-yard shot and bounced it on the top of the crossbar.

Trafford ended the first half by making smart stops to keep out Wataru Endo and Salah to make it seven saves on the night.

Klopp would have been rueing the fact his team were not out of sight.

The second goal seemed to have finally arrived 10 minutes after the restart as Elliott slotted home a cross by Ryan Gravenberch.

Yet the VAR spotted Salah was in an offside position and apparently in the eyeline of Trafford so again it was ruled out.

Somehow the Clarets were still in it – and amazingly they had a chance to level.

Wilson Odobert danced his way into the box and hung up a cross to the back post which Johann Berg Gudmundsson headed over.

While the home side were much improved, there were still chances at the other end.

Sub Dominik Szoboszlai somehow failed to turn in a header back across goal from Curtis Jones – meaning Reds fans were still biting their nails.

And their worst fears were almost realised when Endo gave the ball away to Jacob Bruun Larsson but the Dane’s effort flashed just wide.

Finally Liverpool sealed the points and it was Jota – back after a month out with a hamstring injury – who did it just seven minutes after coming off the bench.

The former Wolves man swapped passes with fellow sub Luis Diaz before blasting past Trafford from a tight angle.