Liverpool manager Arne Slot has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Darwin Nunez’s work-rate in his last two appearances.
The Uruguayan striker, who came on as a substitute against Wolves and Aston Villa, has been criticized for letting his “disappointment” affect his performance.
Slot, while acknowledging Nunez’s missed opportunity against Aston Villa, emphasized his concern about the striker’s overall effort. “I wasn’t only hard on him. But for the second time in a row I wasn’t happy with his work effort, against Wolves and against Villa,” Slot stated during a press conference.
He stressed the importance of unwavering commitment from his players, saying, “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.”
Slot clarified that his criticism was not solely about the missed chance, but about Nunez’s overall contribution to the team. “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. That is mainly because he always works so hard,” he explained.
Despite his recent concerns, Slot praised Nunez’s performance in training, describing him as “incredible” on Monday. Nunez, who joined Liverpool in 2022, has scored six goals in 35 appearances this season.
