Arne Slot does not listen to fans or expert recommendations and, if he did, Liverpool could have suffered the shock of the season on Saturday.
“Get Darwin Núñez now,” it was the essence of part -time suggestions when Liverpool put a languid and disjointed exhibition against Southampton in rock background. Luis Díaz was also on the line of fire of the keyboard warriors on social networks.
Slot, sat some rows behind the press box in the elegant seats due to his prohibition of band line, did not take note and with good reasons while the South American duo combined more than once to cause a return victory.
He will not listen here, but, Mr. Slot, here is our Penneth value: Núñez must start against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Knowing what we know about the erratic striker, Jekyll & Hyde, that could be the worst advice of the season of this reporter. And that comes from someone who had the arsenal to win the League and the Nottingham forest to go down!
But he would be entering the game full of confidence, which often is not the case with him, after his best week of the season (his orthopedic device to win the game in Brentford was the best moment, but he could not support him).
Darwin Núñez was a central figure in Liverpool's return victory over Southampton on Saturday
Núñez scored the Liverpool's equalization goal and obtained a penalty just a few minutes later
Arne Slot celebrates from its position in the stands while Liverpool goes 16 points at the top
He demonstrated the perfect game of NO 9 in Paris to win an aerial duel and then help the winner of the Harvey Elliott match. He scored with a prolific nature to match Southampton on Saturday, then won a penalty 2-1 and never stopped running.
After those two moments on Saturday, coach Johnny Heitinge called him to the touches line. He put his hands on the cheeks of the Uruguayan, hugged him and gave him one or two slapped in the back.
He needs breath, Núñez does. An X fan made the observation: “It's like a Golden Retriever trapped in a human body, I love the madman.”
Fun. He often runs as a dog leaves his belt and yearns for the love of those around him.
“Núñez is like a former toxic partner who tries to win and touches you every time,” he read another publication.
Again, very well. Every time Liverpool fans end with him, ready to give up the man of £ 85 million who always succeeds, takes something out of his magical hat.
Those close to Núñez insist that he is an emotional man. He rides the maximums, like the Kop singing his name, but he hurts deeply because of criticism after a bad performance. He really cares and wants to succeed, although his future beyond this season is not clear. It is fair to say that he is fighting for his elite level career.
There are few players in the league that divide opinion like him. This happens at the macro level with its shape up and down over a season, but also at a micro level in a game, sometimes even in a single game passage where it will do everything well until the end.
Núñez is shown a yellow card to hit Kyle Walker-Peters in the first half
Núñez is embraced by Liverpool coach Johnny Heitita after being replaced
Disconcerting but always very funny.
In Parc Des princes last Wednesday, the game changed. He offered an exit for Liverpool that, most of the night, seemed devoid of attack ideas and looked down and out in Paris.
Diogo Jota, who started like No 9, was poor. A consummated finalist, jota, but the same has not been seen this season due to injuries.
Similarly, Díaz as a central striker. The experiment began well, but it is clearly better as an extreme left, although it seems tired at this time and Liverpool could do it with a positive physical conditioning update in Cody Gakpo, which has a smaller foot problem.
PSG Marquinhos captain loved Jota in his deep groups in the center of the field to receive the ball, but how was it when Liverpool began looking for Núñez behind? Fought.
He stretched the game. Darts outside the Núñez ball may not always see him receive the ball, but help create space for others to explode.
The different Núñez dimension offered PSG prevented to dictate procedures. The Parisiens made eight initial XI changes for their victory over Rennes on Saturday, so it will be much cooler than Liverpool, whose talisman as Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk played 90 full minutes.
Núñez is not perfect. Nothing of the sort. He is also prone to at least several moments for play that make you pronounce, “what the hell was he thinking?” But he is at the top of confidence at this time … and that could damage the PSG on Tuesday night.