Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is currently dealing with several injury concerns, making Darwin Nunez's rise in form a timely boost for the Reds.
Since Slot’s arrival at Liverpool, he’s inherited a talented squad, but there were key areas for improvement. Slot has already made noticeable strides: securing more clean sheets, bringing greater control and dominance to the team's play, and now, helping Nunez regain form and momentum. While two games might not be a large sample, the Uruguayan forward is showing signs of hitting his stride at just the right moment.
Ahead of a recent match, Slot spoke with TNT Sports about Nunez’s development, saying, “What you always want to see from a striker is scoring!” Slot emphasized that Nunez’s value isn’t only in his goal-scoring ability but also in his contribution off the ball, adding that Diogo Jota and Nunez both demonstrated their importance during previous appearances.
Nunez put in a solid shift against Chelsea and continued his impressive form by adding a goal in the match against Leipzig, precisely what Slot had called for. Nunez’s determination, after starting the season out of the lineup, has been a testament to his drive to succeed at Liverpool.
With Jota sidelined due to a rib injury, Nunez’s resurgence couldn’t have come at a better time. Liverpool will likely need him to step up again in their upcoming clash against Arsenal—a crucial match that could see the Reds open up a seven-point gap at the top of the Premier League.
Arsenal, missing key players like William Saliba (suspended) and potentially Riccardo Calafiori (injured), won’t be at full strength defensively. This presents a perfect opportunity for Nunez to make another impact under Slot’s guidance.
Nunez has clearly responded to Slot's challenge, and if he can maintain this level of performance in Liverpool's next fixture, expectations will only continue to rise. The new era under Slot has already seen Liverpool win an impressive 11 out of 12 games, and Nunez looks set to play a major role in maintaining that momentum.