Arne Slot was made to eat his own words after Darwin Nunez’s stunning strike for Liverpool against Bournemouth, with the Uruguay international making his first start of the season.
Arne Slot admitted he was left eating his own words after Darwin Nunez’s stunning strike for Liverpool against Bournemouth.
The Uruguay international made his first start of the season at Anfield, and he marked it in style as he capped off the Reds’ 3-0 win after Luis Diaz’s quickfire double put them in control.
Nunez burst into the penalty area after picking up the ball just inside the Bournemouth half, but still had plenty to do from a tight angle on the right. The 25-year-old produced the perfect finish though as he angled the ball past a helpless Kepa Arrizabalaga and in at the far post.
Nunez was left noticeably emotional as he celebrated in front of the Anfield crowd, with the goal his first for Liverpool since his effort against Sheffield United back in April. No one was left more stunned though than Slot, with the Reds boss admitting afterward he thought his striker had made the wrong decision.
My first instinct when he shot, I said: ‘Why does he shoot? Why don’t you keep on dribbling?’ Because he made the ball free and I think the defender was on the ground,” Slot said.
But then there was a fraction of a second later when I saw the ball went in off the post and I was like, ‘OK, maybe you are a better football player than I was in the past!’ [A] good choice from him.
Nunez vindicated Slot’s decision to start him after siding with Diogo Jota for the first five games of the season. The Liverpool boss was impressed not only with his striker’s goal, but his efforts without the ball.
