Alan Shearer has suggested a training incident with Darwin Nunez might've annoyed Arne Slot which led the manager to openly criticise the forward.
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Liverpool were held to 2-2 draw by VillaNunez failed to convert a sitter in final momentsSlot slammed the forward for his work rateFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Nunez has come under increased scrutiny after failing to convert two crucial chances in a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. Slot’s frustration was evident in his post-match comments, where he revealed that he intended to speak with Nunez not about the misses but about his attitude and effort levels.
"I will tell him that you can miss a chance but you cannot miss out on work rate," Slot told reporters. "That is the life of a striker, he will miss chances and score some. It is part of the job of a No 9, you miss when people expect you to score. It is not part of the job of a No 9 to slow down in work rate. And that is something we will talk about."
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Former England striker Shearer weighed in on the situation, speculating that Slot’s remarks may have been influenced by something more than just Nunez’s erratic finishing.
"I don’t know Darwin Nunez as an individual, but I understand the manager being frustrated with him, because of the chances he misses," he said during an interview with
"He’s not a natural finisher, however, having said that, I remember when he came on at Newcastle a year or two ago, he scored two great goals. His finishes were magnificent then."
The Premier League legend also raised the possibility that the criticism from Slot stemmed from issues beyond just match performance.
"It’s not often you see that sort of thing from a manager, but I don’t know what’s gone on behind the scenes before, or if anything has gone on in the dressing room which we don’t know about," Shearer added.
"Maybe he doesn’t like what he’s seen from Nunez in training and is trying to get a response out of him. I can’t remember a time, if any, where a manager would have criticised my attitude or work rate."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Following Slot’s remarks, Nunez took to social media where he vowed to turn around his form at the earliest.
He wrote: "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! 💪🏼".
DID YOU KNOW?
Nunez has struggled to deliver the consistent goal-scoring returns expected from him since his big-money move to Anfield. In 35 appearances across all competitions this season, he has managed just six goals and five assists, with only four of those strikes coming in the Premier League. Given Liverpool’s title ambitions, his struggles in front of goal have become a growing concern.
