Darwin Nunez netted his first goal of the season during Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth.
Arne Slot admitted he initially thought Nunez made a poor decision before finally scoring for Liverpool this season. The striker earned his first start against AFC Bournemouth, having been behind Diogo Jota in the lineup and mostly coming off the bench in the earlier matches.
However, Nunez seized the opportunity and capped off the victory at Anfield with a brilliant left-footed goal in the 37th minute, after combining with Mo Salah and curling the ball in off the post.
In his post-match comments, Slot revealed that he first questioned Nunez’s decision to shoot instead of dribbling further but was pleased to be proven wrong. He remarked, “My instinct was to wonder why he shot instead of continuing to dribble, especially since the defender was down. But as soon as I saw the ball go in, I thought, ‘Maybe you’re a better player than I was.’ Great choice by him.”
Nunez joined Liverpool from Benfica for a record £75 million and has experienced a mixed tenure at Anfield, showcasing his potential but struggling with consistency.
Slot emphasized that improving this consistency hinges on both Nunez’s work ethic and the team’s overall performance.
He added, “Consistency comes from two factors: work-rate and team performance. If the team isn’t consistent, it’s hard for any individual to be.
We need to build our habits in training and matches to achieve that consistency, and that’s our daily focus.”
