Liverpool manager Arne Slot has expressed his disappointment with Darwin Nunez’s attitude following his costly miss in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
While the Dutchman acknowledged that missing chances is part of a striker’s job, he was particularly frustrated with Nunez’s drop in work rate afterward.
Liverpool had the opportunity to secure three points, but Nunez missed an open goal late in the match, forcing the Premier League leaders to settle for a draw. Slot made it clear that while he can accept missed chances, he cannot tolerate a lack of effort.
Slot Calls Out Nunez’s Reaction
“I will tell him that you can miss a chance, but you cannot miss out on work rate,” Slot said. “A striker will always have moments where he misses and scores—it’s part of the job. But what I cannot accept is his behavior after the miss.
It affected him too much, and he wasn’t his usual self, working hard for the team.”
Slot compared Nunez’s mentality to that of Wataru Endo, praising the Japanese midfielder’s consistency and resilience. “Endo never complains, he keeps going no matter what. That is the kind of mindset that every player should aim for,” he added.
Nunez Responds to Criticism
Following Slot’s comments, Nunez took to social media to share his thoughts. “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. I’m going to give it my all until the last day I’m here in Liverpool,” the Uruguayan posted.
Liverpool Focused on City Clash
Liverpool now turn their attention to Sunday’s crucial clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Despite City’s struggles this season, Slot knows the challenge they pose under Pep Guardiola.
“The style of play has always been the same for all these years from Pep—whether it’s Barcelona, Bayern, or City. You can always recognize a Guardiola team,” Slot said. “Even the best need quality players, and if they’re missing key players, it’s tough. But we know how difficult it is to go to the Etihad.”
With Liverpool leading Arsenal by eight points, but having played a game more, the upcoming matches could be decisive in the title race.