Liverpool manager Arne Slot has defended Darwin Nunez amid ongoing criticism over his goal output this season, insisting the striker’s overall contribution to the team matters far more than raw numbers.
The Uruguayan has faced scrutiny throughout the campaign for failing to match the goal tallies expected of a Liverpool number nine, despite the team’s strong form in the Premier League.
Softfootball gathers that Slot addressed the criticism directly while speaking to the club’s official website. He said:
For me he has impacted the team.
If you only look at goals, yeah, he hasn’t scored the amount of goals he wants to score or we want our No.9 to score, but he does have impact in his work-rate.
Slot went on to explain that Nunez’s pressing and off-the-ball contributions play a crucial role in Liverpool’s overall system, even when they don’t show up on the scoresheet. He added:
So, he is part of a team that is scoring a lot of goals and winning a lot, but of course as a No.9 you want to score more goals, and that’s definitely what he wants as well.
