Darwin Nunez has been linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer and Gus Poyet has claimed the Uruguay international receives different treatment to his team-mates
Darwin Nunez has been told to consider leaving Liverpool this summer, with former Premier League star Gus Poyet claiming the striker is “treated differently” at Anfield to some of his team-mates.
Nunez has been heavily linked with a potential summer move, having failed to cement himself as a regular starter under Arne Slot. He has made just eight Premier League starts so far this season, while his record of seven goals across all competitions has attracted criticism.
“I think he needs to make a decision this summer on whether he’s happy with his role at Liverpool or he wants something different,” Poyet told bettingexpert.com. “He’s the number one striker for the national team and he’s the kind of player you don’t want to play against. But with Liverpool he’s in and out and he gets treated differently to other Liverpool players. [Cody] Gakpo can go 10-15 games with no goal and it’s not a problem. Nunez it’s always a problem.
“It’s difficult to deal with and it’s personal. It up to him as to whether he’s happy with his role and his family being in England dealing with the scrutiny. Liverpool is a big club and moving countries is difficult.”
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Poyet’s comments come after Slot publicly criticised the forward’s attitude and work-rate after a poor miss in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in February. “I would prefer him to score but the word ‘chance’ says it all,” Slot said after the game.
“It’s a chance so it’s not 100 per cent sure that the ball goes in, and players miss chances. That I can accept but what was a bit harder for me to accept was his behaviour after that chance.
“I think it got too much in his head, where he wasn’t the usual Darwin that works his a** off and makes sure he helps the team… that is something we will talk about.”
When quizzed further on his comments the following week, Slot added: “First of all, I helped him by saying you can miss a chance. I wasn’t only hard on him. But for the second time in a row I wasn’t happy with his work effort, against Wolves and against Villa.
“I always try to be honest with my players and be honest as I can to you guys as well where I always try to protect my players so I don’t say he never worked hard. I know him differently. I know him at Villa at home where he made a 100 metre sprint and scored a goal, I know him when he came on at City at home and was pressing really aggressively and wins the ball back and we score. But I can’t accept if a player doesn’t give everything.
“That is clear. I can accept it once but twice was a bit too much. That’s why I addressed it. Not that I’m all of a sudden very angry with him. I don’t mind that he missed a chance, I’d have loved him to score it, and I know he will eventually score.
“But if you miss a chance, you need to be fighting for the team. I’m not saying he didn’t do that at all, but it wasn’t the usual Darwin, the one that is loved by the fans. That is mainly because he always works so hard.”
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