Liverpool Coach, Arne Slot Insists He Can’t Accept Darwin Nunez’s Work Rate

Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, has expressed his disappointment in striker Darwin Nunez’s work ethic during his performance in the last two matches.

Darwin Nunez, who hails from Uruguay, entered the game as a second-half substitute during the club’s victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on February 16 and in the subsequent match against Aston Villa on February 19, where he squandered a clear scoring opportunity.

In the following match, a decisive 2-0 win against Manchester City on Sunday, Nunez was not called upon from the bench, a game that propelled Liverpool 11 points ahead at the top of the Premier League standings.

While Slot initially defended Nunez after his missed chance against Villa, he conveyed that the player’s evident disappointment bled into his overall effort on the pitch. “I supported him by telling him that it’s okay to miss a chance,” Slot mentioned at his press conference held before the upcoming match against Newcastle.

However, he made it clear that Nunez’s lacklustre work rate in both the Wolves and Villa fixtures was unacceptable. “If a player doesn’t give their all, that’s not something I can overlook,” Slot stated. “Accepting it once might be reasonable, but to witness it consecutively is concerning, which is why I had to address it with him.”

The manager emphasized the need for Nunez to maintain his fighting spirit for the team, even in moments of disappointment. “While I’m not suggesting he completely dropped his effort, he certainly didn’t play up to his usual standards—the Darwin that fans cherish—largely because he has a reputation for relentless hard work.”

Despite these concerns, Slot noted a positive shift, highlighting that Nunez showed remarkable form during Monday’s training session.

Statistical insights from Opta illustrate that Nunez has been diligent in his physical performance metrics, with impressive distances covered and sprint counts compared to his teammates.

His average of 25.86 sprints per game ranks him second only to Connor Bradley, who averages 28.19 sprints. Additionally, Nunez’s running statistics reveal he’s among the top five players in terms of distance travelled, averaging 11.28 kilometres per game, with Bradley leading that category at 12.27 kilometres.

During the matches against Wolves and Villa, Nunez’s pitch time was limited to fewer than 30 minutes, complicating a direct statistical comparison. However, the data recorded reveals that he covered 3.66 kilometres during the Wolves game, performing eight sprints, and managed 3.06 kilometres with six sprints against Aston Villa.