Arne Slot claims that Darwin Nunez is back after he has given the Liverpool striker a public shovel the back.
Slot criticized Nunez's work percentage after the Wolves and Aston Villa Games and demanded more from the Uruguay star. He feels that Nunez answered his challenge when he sat down in midweek against the deceased winner of Harvey Elliott against Paris Saint-Germain to end his nine-game run without scoring or making an assist.
The Reds head coach praised his contribution and believes that the South American is “again the normal Darwin”. Slot said: “I think he was just back to be the normal Darwin, the player he was seven or eight months old.
“I think that once or twice – for the games I mentioned – was exceptional and for the other games he is so loved by the fans because he has always given everything since he has been here. That is what he has always done. That is what he did against Paris St Germain and that is what he did last week.
“He had one or two games that were not perfect, which also had to do with missing that chance against Villa. “But sometimes these things happen and now he is the normal Darwin again.”
NUNEZ, 25, has six goals and four assists and Slot can start against Southampton in Anfield while he was rotating out of his team prior to Tuesday's return to PSG. Mindful Liverpool has only two full days to recover for the second stage of their last 16 collision on Anfield, but it is adamant to let anyone rest.
He does not do anyone inside or outside of Anfield to remove their eyes from Southampton with the Reds who need seven victories to secure a record-similar 20th title. “For me, the match against Southampton is by far the most important,” he said.
“If I make the choice to play other players, it is because I think this is the best way to win the game and not because I want them to rest for the game against Paris St Germain.” Slot, who will look from the stands while he completes his two-match Touchline ban for cursor Michael Oliver after the Merseyside Derby, also called on the Liverpool fans to make some noise this afternoon for the first of what he says are three finals this week.
Liverpool is opposed to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday and concluded: “I have to convince my players that we play three finals, but I hope I can influence our fans.
“I don't want them to come to the stadium five minutes before the kick -off, I want the stadium to be completely filled half an hour before the start, so that these players get the reward for what they did in Paris.”
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