Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has reaffirmed his commitment to the club after head coach Arne Slot criticized his response to a costly miss in the recent 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. The Reds missed a chance to establish a ten-point advantage over Arsenal in the Premier League title race, marking their third failure to secure three points in their last four matches.
Nunez had a golden opportunity to clinch victory for Liverpool but sent his shot over the bar with only the net to hit as Axel Disasi attempted to close him down. However, Slot’s main concern was not the missed chance itself but rather the Uruguayan’s body language and attitude following the mistake.
Slot emphasized that while strikers are bound to squander chances, their work ethic should remain unchanged. “It’s more about the 20 minutes afterwards where I want to talk to him, rather than about him missing a chance,” Slot said. “The key takeaway is that while missing is part of a striker’s life, reducing effort on the pitch is not acceptable.”
The Dutch coach pointed out that at 25 years old, Nunez has had both successes and failures in front of goal throughout his career. He insisted that while every No. 9 will occasionally falter in front of goal, dropping intensity after a mistake is not a characteristic he wants to see in his players.
Nunez vows to keep fighting
Following Slot’s remarks, Nunez, who has recently been linked with a high-profile transfer to the Saudi Pro League, took to social media to respond. He expressed his determination to continue giving his all for Liverpool as long as he remains at the club.
“I wasn’t the best three weeks ago, and I’m not the worst now. If I fall, I get up. You’ll never see me give up,” Nunez shared with his followers. “I’m going to give it my all until the last day I’m here in Liverpool. Resilience!”
His statement reinforced his commitment to pushing forward despite the criticism and expectations placed upon him as Liverpool’s leading striker.
Slot stresses importance of work rate
Slot elaborated on his views, explaining that while mistakes are inevitable in football, a player’s attitude in the aftermath of an error is what truly matters. He acknowledged Nunez’s ability to score crucial goals this season – such as his two decisive strikes off the bench in the win at Brentford – but stressed that consistent effort is non-negotiable.
“It is a chance, and there is no guarantee it goes in,” Slot stated. “What is harder for me to accept is his behavior after the miss. It affected him too much, and he was not the usual Darwin who works tirelessly for the team. He let his disappointment linger.”
Liverpool will be hoping that Nunez takes his manager’s feedback on board as they continue their push for success in the Premier League.
