Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, has recently come out in robust defence of Darwin Nunez, the club’s Uruguayan forward. Following Liverpool’s narrow 1-0 victory against Girona, Nunez faced sharp criticism from a section of the fanbase, exacerbated by his lacklustre goal tally of three in 19 appearances this season.
However, Slot remains unwavering in his support for the striker. Nunez himself seemed to address the criticism, albeit indirectly, with a post-match Instagram message, stating, “They are not all, they are some. Thank you Reds for your support, we are all still together.”
Arne Slot is not new to the challenge of revitalising struggling forwards. He previously turned around the fortunes of Santiago Gimenez at Feyenoord, enhancing his scoring from 21 goals in 105 appearances to an impressive 49 in 91. Slot’s track record with strikers feeds into his confidence in Nunez’s potential turnaround at Liverpool, despite current criticisms.
He commented, “That’s what we are expecting because we see his qualities. The fans have a lot of love for him, I heard something about social media criticism but he will not be the first player who gets criticism on social media!”
The hefty fee Liverpool paid for Nunez from Benfica has certainly set expectations high, not just from the fans but from the management too. Slot notes the unavoidable scrutiny that comes with missing key chances, especially on social platforms where reactions can be polarised: “If we had lost the game then it would be that my substitutions or line-up were not good… that is what social media is all about! If you win it’s all brilliant, if you lose it’s all —-!”
Moreover, Nunez is not only facing the challenge of hitting the back of the net but also competing within a talented squad. Slot explains, “But he is in competition with Luis Diaz, who can play as a No.9 as well, and Diogo Jota. It is not just the challenge of scoring goals but competing with others too.”
As Liverpool prepares to cement its top position in the Premier League against Fulham, Slot believes Nunez needs to perhaps distance himself from the cacophony of fan opinions. He might need to focus more on his game rather than external voices, whether they carry tunes of criticism or praise. “Maybe it’s because the fans support him so much, maybe he wants it too much to score that goal for himself and also for the fans because they have been very supportive. All our players feel the support of our fans but he is definitely one of them,” Slot elucidates.
Slot also draws a parallel with Mohamed Salah, who thrives with or without fanfare: “Mo [Salah] is scoring so many goals he likes the support of the fans but doesn’t really need it at the moment but what I like about special fans is they are not only supportive when it is going really well for a player but especially if he needs that support, that is what makes these fans of ours special in my opinion.”
As Nunez gears up for the upcoming fixtures, the support from both the terraces and the touchline could be crucial. Slot’s history of nurturing forwards back to their prime suggests he might be the ideal mentor to guide Nunez through this turbulent phase. Liverpool fans will be hoping that Nunez can repay Slot’s faith with goals, ensuring the Reds’ ambitions remain as high-flying as their performances.
