Liverpool have seen this script before.

Two years ago, five straight victories at the end of the 2020/21 campaign ensured the Merseyside outfit clambered back from despair to salvage top four following a woeful mid-season collapse.

And while there is much semblance between that tumultuous year and the present term, the sheer volume of lacklustre displays and dropped points could leave Champions League qualification an objective for next year, despite the current six-match winning streak.

Jurgen Klopp's outfit have indeed finally clicked into gear and now perch just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester United, with Newcastle United just one further point ahead in third, though both teams hold a game in hand to the Anfield side.

The remaining three matches must all end in victory if any hope of a remarkable conclusion to the season could be forthcoming, and to do so, cohesion and fluidity must be intact.

While forward Darwin Nunez brings an extra dimension to Liverpool's attack, his recent performances have been subpar and after earning starts across the past two league matches, must return to the bench if the Reds are to succeed in their endeavours.

Should Darwin Nunez be dropped?

Liverpool's club-record £85m signing has been something of a mixed bag thus far this season, scoring 15 goals and supplying four assists from 41 appearances – 26 starts – across all competitions but consistently harangued for his missed chances and questionable decision-making in key moments.

Club legend Robbie Fowler jumped in on the criticism, saying: "Up to now he is too wasteful. I said before, he will be a player. He will be a handful and he will take chances. And he will score goals. But to the level Liverpool fans think he will score the goals? I am not sure we will see that.”

There are certainly promising signs for the "monster", as hailed by reporter Charlotte Coates; Nunez ranks among the top 13% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 1% for total shots and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, but his profligacy in front of goal has possibly cost him his place with scant time left for the club to achieve its goals.

Cody Gakpo, signed from PSV for an initial £35m in January, looks well-placed to collect the baton from Roberto Firmino when the Brazilian departs at the end of the term, while Diogo Jota has bagged five goals from his past five Premier League starts and the mercurial Luis Diaz's return from lengthy injury further enriches the pool of attacking talent at Klopp's disposal.

With away trips to relegation-battling Leicester City and Southampton sandwiching an Anfield battle against high-flying Aston Villa, getting the formula right will be imperative, and Klopp must be ruthless in choosing a starting XI fit to steer towards success.

Candidly, the £140k-per-week Nunez is an immense and exciting talent, but with 20 big chances missed in the Premier League, having scored nine times, and Sofascore recording four of his past five divisional ratings at 6.4 or lower, he is a gulf away from a purple patch and must not start for a third successive match against the Foxes.