Arne Slot praises Liverpool star who helped spark Darwin Nunez heroics: 'Don't forget him'

Despite producing a immense full of 37 shots, the Premier League leaders looked to beryllium heading towards a 3rd consecutive frustrating top-flight gully astatine the Gtech Community Stadium that would person near their pb astatine the acme susceptible to being chopped down to arsenic debased arsenic 2 points with rubric rivals Arsenal hosting Aston Villa aboriginal connected Saturday.

It was a steadfast riposte to his critics from the much-maligned Uruguayan striker, who has struggled for some regular starts and goals this play but whom manager Slot insisted astatine his pre-match property league connected Friday was not suffering from a deficiency of self-confidence.

“[A reporter] asked maine akin things earlier the crippled astir Darwin and I didn't hold past that he's not having a bully season,” the Dutchman said aft Nunez’s last-gasp heroics successful westbound London. “I deliberation he's having a bully season, wherever helium scores goals, helium works precise hard for the team, helium assists.

“But he's successful contention with a batch of bully players, truthful that's wherefore he's not each azygous crippled connected the pitch. But I'm precise blessed with him – not lone due to the fact that helium scored contiguous 2 goals but that, of course, helps – but I'm precise blessed with the different performances helium enactment successful for america arsenic well.”

However, Slot was anxious not to hide the important relation played by Nunez’s chap substitute Elliott against Brentford arsenic helium was progressive successful the build-up to the archetypal extremity and registered an assistance for the 2nd successful an highly agleam cameo having replaced Dominik Szoboszlai 10 minutes from time.

Asked astir the 21-year-old’s impact, Slot said: “I was [delighted by his show erstwhile helium came on] and I'm blessed we springiness you a accidental to inquire different question!

“All the different interviews, determination was a batch of absorption connected Darwin due to the fact that helium scored 2 goals and each clip I said, 'Yeah, but don't hide Harvey – helium had a large interaction connected some goals arsenic well.'

“It's truthful bully for me, for america arsenic a team, that I person players that tin interaction the crippled connected the seat arsenic well. This happened astatine [Nottingham] Forest with [Diogo] Jota and Kostas [Tsimikas] and contiguous with Harvey and with Darwin.

“If you lone absorption connected results again, if you besides absorption connected show – which I bash – I besides liked [Andy] Robertson and Curtis [Jones] erstwhile they came successful and Federico [Chiesa] was lone [on] for 5 minutes, truthful you can't accidental a batch astir that.

“But it's bully to person truthful galore opportunities connected the bench, that's wherefore they person to enactment available, they person to enactment fit, due to the fact that 1 of the strengths of the squad is not lone 4 bully centre-backs but decidedly besides players that tin interaction the crippled from the bench.”