Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot has acknowledged the challenge of optimizing the performance of striker Darwin Nunez amidst mounting speculation about his future at Anfield.
Having been signed for £85 million in the summer of 2022, Nunez has found it difficult to secure a regular spot in Slot’s starting lineup, starting only seven times in the Premier League this season and scoring four goals in 26 appearances across all competitions.
Rumors have linked Nunez with a potential departure from Liverpool, with Al Hilal and even Manchester United reportedly interested in his services. Slot has now confessed that the 25-year-old does not naturally fit into his preferred style of play.
“Darwin is a striker that we need to utilize in a specific way, and so far this season, we have not been able to bring out his best,” Slot stated.
“In the recent match against Accrington Stanley, you could see his pace, but unfortunately, most teams tend to sit back a lot when playing against us. If we look back at the goals he has scored for us, I recall the one against [Aston] Villa where he outpaced the goalkeeper on a fast break, which is his primary strength.
“He possesses other qualities as well, but we are still working on positioning him optimally against teams that defend deep. This involves timing, crosses, starting position, and making the right runs.”
However, Slot defended Nunez’s goal-scoring record by pointing out that teams often deploy more defenders against Liverpool than other opponents.
“The way teams mark our number 9 deserves recognition,” Slot explained. “It’s not as simple as giving the ball to Darwin and expecting him to score. Whenever we put in a cross, I see defenders marking him tightly. I observe it, but unfortunately, referees do not always penalize it.”
“In general, it’s more challenging for us to score against teams like [Nottingham] Forest because they pack the box with six, seven, eight, or even nine players every time we attack.”
“On the other hand, the one time [Chris] Wood had a chance, he was almost unmarked. We were not as fortunate. Darwin will find the back of the net again, as he has done before.”
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