Liverpool have been in good form in-front of goal so far this season.The Reds have an embarrassment of riches at their disposal in forward positions and that has often been reflected during matches.
However, while 22 goals across nine games represents a decent start for Arne Slot, it’s also fair to say that a couple of players are not scoring enough.Liverpool currently have six top-class attacking options within their first-team squad. So far, only two have scored more than three goals.
Mohamed Salah has been relentless as always, while Luis Diaz has his eye on the Premier League Golden Boot. But while Liverpool’s wide men have been in the goals, the two players tasked with leading the line have found them harder to come by. And as the Reds prepare for another test against Crystal Palace at the weekend, Slot has given a ‘completely honest’ verdict on Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota.
Arne Slot wants more goals from strikersIt has always been the case over the past decade that Liverpool’s wide players will score more than the central striker. Salah is a wonderful goal scorer, while Sadio Mane was more prolific than Roberto Firmino, too.
So, it’s not necessarily a surprise to see the bulk of the Reds’ goals coming from the wings. Nevertheless, that does not mean that more cannot be asked of the centre-forward.During the early parts of his reign, it has been clear that Slot prefers Jota over Nunez.
However, although the Portuguese has scored three goals, two came in the Carabao Cup and he is yet to score since the opening day of the Premier League or at all in the Champions League. Nunez does have a league goal, but only the one, and has found chances harder to come by.
The Uruguayan did get an opportunity in midweek in the Champions League, but couldn’t take it. As Peter Crouch said post-game, Nunez will have been ‘disappointed’ with his showing.
As a result, Slot was asked in his pre-Crystal Palace press conference about the form of his No.9.“If I’m completely honest, which I like to be, most goals we scored came from our wingers,” said the Liverpool head coach.“So, maybe it’s also for us something to look at.
Although we scored a lot of goals to bring our striker, whether it’s Diogo or Darwin, even more in positions to score.”Who will play against Crystal Palace? With the rest of the Liverpool XI at full-strength, it felt as though Nunez only started against Bologna because Jota had picked up a knock.
If Liverpool’s No.20 had been fit, it seems at least possible that he would have resigned Nunez to the bench once again.
But after the Uruguay international failed to properly deliver at Anfield, it seems that a fit-again Jota will begin the game against Crystal Palace.
Nunez will likely get his turn off the bench, but unless he can answer Slot’s call and get a goal or two from there, he is unlikely to find himself back in the starting line-up after the international break. Then again, if Jota can’t find his scoring boots soon enough, then the window will remain for Darwin.
