Liverpool Boss Slot Defends Nunez Despite Drop In Standard

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Despite the struggling striker being below the “standard” in the Champions League victory over Girona, Arne Slot remained firm that Darwin Nunez is still a key player in Liverpool’s plans.

Nunez has made just one goal in his last ten starts, and three more overall, this season, despite suffering from a long slump.

The Uruguay international cut a growing list of opportunities after missing several chances in Liverpool’s victory on Tuesday in Girona.

Slot admitted he kept Nunez on for an extended period, before eventually replacing him in the 71st minute, in the hope he would score a confidence-boosting goal.

After receiving criticism in midweek, Nunez posted on Instagram: “They are not all, they are some. Thank you Reds for your support, we are all still together. ”

The 25-year-old needs the support of supporters and his teammates, according to Slot, to resurrect his form that made him so popular at Benfica prior to his 2022 move to Anfield.

He is undoubtedly one of our players who feels the support of our fans. Mo (Salah) is scoring so many goals he likes the support of the fans but doesn’t really need it at the moment,” Slot told reporters on Friday.

Everyone needs an arm around you, whether from a team-mate, the fans, or your manager, because they all saw it when he missed a few chances on Tuesday.

I also made it clear to him that he is also judged on how well he plays the team, not just on the goals he scores, but also how well he contributes to the team’s performance with his work-rate and how much he excels in getting the ball back high up the pitch. ”

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‘Disappointed’

On September 21, 2024, Liverpool and Bournemouth’s Uruguayan striker #9 Darwin Nunez (C) scores this third goal in the English Premier League game between the two teams at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP)

Slot’s only fault with Nunez was the Reds manager’s rebuke for the Reds manager’s work-rate decline against Girona.

He should have scored more goals, he claimed. But what should always be there is work-rate and I think that is what he has, apart from two games,” Slot said.

I told him that yesterday, and he shouldn’t have had the best of the final half-hour of his game against Girona.

He was disappointed that he had missed a number of chances, he claimed. ”

Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa will be under increasing pressure in Nunez’s position as they prepare to make a Saturday return to the squad for a game against Fulham.

Since joining Liverpool from Juventus in the offseason, Chisa has only played 18 Premier League games.

The Reds, who are four points clear of the top of the Premier League on the verge of capturing their first title since 2020, have only three appearances in all competitions.

“Federico missed quite a lot for a long time, was ill last week, so we have to wait and see how he is exactly doing,” Slot said.

However, it depends a little on the numbers we have and how he recovered from his illness whether Diogo is in the squad or Federico is. ”