Arne Slot has explained in detail his comments regarding Darwin Nunez which came after the Uruguayan striker had an evening to forget against Aston Villa last week.
In a tense encounter at Villa Park and the scores locked at 2-2, Nunez who is beloved and maligned by the Reds fanbase in equal measure missed a guilt-edged chance to put the visitors in front.
After undoubtedly being the hero a few weeks before against Brentford, it was a snapshot of the career of Nunez in Liverpool colours.
He can produce moments of individual brilliance and inspiration and then on the other side he can produce moments which are inexplicable to describe.
That miss certainly fitted into the latter category, and the next day Slot tried to make sense of it, but raised some eyebrows with what seemed to be some cutting comments.
"Players miss chances, that I can accept. But what was a bit harder for me to accept [was] his behaviour after that chance, and with behaviour I mean I think it got too much in his head where he wasn't the usual Darwin that works his [backside] off and makes sure he helps the team.
“I always truly believe that it's always the best to have Wata's [Endo] mindset and what I mean with that is that for the whole season he just keeps on going, keeps on going, keeps on going and whenever we need him, he's ready. That is very difficult, there are not many players that can do this. It's not about the chance for me, it's more about the 20 minutes afterwards where I want to talk to him about than about him missing a chance."
In typical South American style, Nunez is a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and while disappointed, his fighting spirt came through on a Instagram post where he stated
“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. Resilience!"
Speaking ahead of the clash with Newcastle this evening, the manager clarified his comments ( per the Mirror).
“First of all, I helped him by saying you can miss a chance. 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.
“I always try to be honest with my players and be honest as I can to you guys as well where I always try to protect my players so I don't say he never worked hard. I know him differently.
“I know him at Villa at home where he made a 100 metre sprint and scored a goal, I know him when he came on at City at home and was pressing really aggressively and wins the ball back and we score.
“But 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 believes that the missed chance clearly got to Nunez and in turn he stopped playing to his strengths.
“Not that I'm all of a sudden very angry with him. I don't mind that he missed a chance, I'd have loved him to score it, and I know he will eventually score. But 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.”
After feeling flat the next day, Slot says he has been really heartened by the response of his number nine.
“Yesterday he was incredible in the training session when it comes to work-rate. Hopefully he can keep doing this, and whenever the team needs him then he is ready for it if he keeps putting in sessions like he did yesterday."
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