‘Don’t judge Darwin by the goals,’ says Slot

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has defended striker Darwin Nunez ahead of their Premier League clash against Fulham on Saturday.

Uruguay striker Nunez has scored just three goals for the Reds this season, but Slott says he brings more than just goals to the side, who could go seven points clear with a win at Anfield.

Slott said: “Darwin has an influence. He hasn’t scored as many goals as he or we would like, but he has an impact on the work rate.

“He’s part of a team that scores a lot of goals – I don’t judge Darwin by his goals alone.”

Liverpool have scored 76 goals in 33 games in the calendar year so far, and have scored at least two in their last seven Premier League games.

Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota could return to the Liverpool team this weekend ⤵️

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 13, 2024

Are Chiesa and Jota coming back?

Sloto’s attacking options could be boosted by the return of Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa from injury.

Chiesa has played just 18 minutes in the Premier League since joining Liverpool from Juventus last summer.

The Italian is returning to form but manager Arne Slot says it could be difficult to get him up to speed in a busy schedule.

“What he needs is playing time,” Slott said.

“If you haven’t played for five or six months, it’s sometimes difficult to give the coach that minutes because you don’t know what to expect.

“Maybe the game with Southampton would be a good game to give him minutes. He has to achieve his fitness. He needs time to play. But it’s not always easy to find those minutes.”