I can’t accept Nunez’s work-rate – Slot

Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he “can’t accept” striker Darwin Nunez’s work-rate in his past two games.

The Uruguay international missed a crucial goal in the draw at Aston Villa on February 19 and the win over Wolves on February 16 as a substitute.

In the 2-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, Nunez did not start, leading Liverpool 11 points clear of the Premier League.

Slot defended Nunez after his miss against Villa but said he allowed his “disappointment” to impact his work-rate.

“I helped him by saying you can miss a chance”, Slot said in his news conference before Wednesday’s visit of Newcastle.

“I wasn’t only hard on him. However, his work against Villa and Wolves was disappointing for the second time in a row.

” I can’t accept if a player doesn’t give everything. That is clear. I can accept it once, but twice was a bit too much. That’s why I addressed it.

“If you miss a chance, you need to be fighting for the team. I’m not saying he didn’t do that at all, but it wasn’t the usual Darwin, the one that is loved by the fans. He works so hard in particular, which is why.