Arne Slot has revealed that he asked Darwin Nunez to make the most of his start against RB Leipzig by scoring a goal in the Reds Champions League clash.
The Dutchman’s request was dutifully answered by the Uruguayan, who netted the winner for the Premier League side to maintain their perfect start in the competition.
Nunez, who has been forced to make do with substitute appearances this term, came in for the injured Diogo Jota at the Red Bull Arena and notched his second goal of the campaign.
Slot, who became the first Reds boss to win his first three European Cup matches since Bill Shankly, revealed that he asked Nunez to repay his selection with a goal against the Germans.
‘I asked for a goal.’ He told TNT Sports after the match. ‘He gave us one but in the lead-up to the goal, [Cody] Gakpo was important and Mo [Salah] with an assist. It was a team goal. It’s pleasing to see that Darwin did a really good job today.’
Darwin Nunez has been made to do with a substitute role so far this season with Diogo Jota ahead of him in the pecking order
The Uruguayan made the most of his start against RB Leipzig and netted the winner in the first half
Arne Slot revealed that he asked the striker to repay his selection with a goal at the Red Bull Arena
Nunez’s strike on Wednesday night came from all of one yard after he pounced to poke in a header from Salah that looked goal bound. Nevertheless, the effort will certainly increase his confidence ahead of the Reds’ upcoming clash against Arsenal at the Emirates.
Jota sustained a rib injury in Liverpool’s win over Chelsea on Sunday, which could see him spend an extended spell on the sidelines. Nunez could be in line to start against the Gunners in addition to the side’s slate of tough fixtures.
Slot added: ‘First of all, we’re really happy for the win. We played a difficult away game against a group one game in Leipzig. We controlled the game in large parts apart from the last few minutes, We needed Virgil [van Dijk] and [Ibrahima Konate] and our goalkeeper. If we lost this place with a draw then I would’ve felt we lost something.’
The victory saw Liverpool remain as one of only two teams in the competition with a 100 per cent record. They sit behind Aston Villa in the Champions League table on goal difference.
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