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Arne Slot has jumped to the defense of Darwin Nunez, and insisted Liverpool’s no.9 will recapture his goalscoring form.
The striker has netted just four in 26 matches this campaign and his last Premier League goal came in early November. Unsurprisingly, with form like that, Nunez has dropped down the pecking order and has started just one of the last six Premier League matches.
Handed a rare opportunity from the off at home to Accrington Stanley last week, the 25-year-old failed to capitalize. He was unable to convert any of his five shots against the League Two opponents and also missed two big chances.
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It led to suggestions from Robbie Fowler that Nunez ‘isn’t a Liverpool player’, while Jamie Carragher claimed Liverpool isn’t happy with the ex-Benfica man earlier this week. There have also been several recent reports claiming that the Reds are willing to listen to offers for the player amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
Despite all the negative noise surrounding the player, Slot rejected the notion that his forward is struggling for confidence and backed the Uruguayan to rediscover his best form.
“Darwin will score his goals,” the Liverpool boss confidently predicted ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brentford. “He already did and he will again.
“When things are not perfect there are always a lot of things that are being brought up that don’t have so much to do with what is going on,” Slot added. “Darwin is a striker we have to use in a certain way and we were not able yet to bring the best out of him this season.
Nunez did not look confident in front of goal against Accrington. -Credit:2025 Liverpool FC
“Against Accrington Stanley again you saw that he has a lot of pace but, unfortunately for him, most teams sit back a lot against us.”
It’s that ability to score against sides that defend deep that Slot feels Nunez is currently lacking.
“If you look back at the goals he scored for us, I remember the one against [Aston] Villa when he went around the goalkeeper on a fast break, that is his main strength.
“But we are still working on getting him in the best possible positions against a low block. But I also see, and I don’t know if other people see this, the way teams defend our no.9 is something you have to give credit to the other teams for.
Nunez has fallen down the pecking order under Slot. -Credit:Getty Images
“It’s never, ‘Here Darwin, you can score’. Every time we put in a cross I see a defender all over him. I see it, referees unfortunately don’t.”
Slot’s prediction could be put to the test on Saturday with Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz both doubts for the game against Brentford. It means there’s every chance Nunez could be handed a starting berth up front at the Gtech Community Stadium.
If selected, Nunez will hope to repay his manager’s confidence. But another bad display and his place in Slot’s squad will only come under further scrutiny.