Another match and another victory for Arne Slot’s Reds as they dispatched RB Leipzig in a 1-0 victory away from home that puts the focus on the man who won the match, Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan’s lone goal was enough to see Liverpool through in their Champions League Matchday 3 match as the defense limited Leipzig’s chances to win the xG battle 2.38-0.76 even without Alisson in net. As the Reds have found their feet, they’ve favored quality over quantity in attack while funneling opposition attacks into favorable areas.
They hit a speed bump losing to Nottingham Forest since they’ve ripped off eight consecutive wins while scoring 19 goals and only conceding four. It’s an impressive performance that has happened even with Liverpool seeing their level of competition rise and injuries strike the side.
One of the latest injuries that they’ve had to deal with is to forward Diogo Jota. The Portuguese forward is out with an injury and while the severity isn’t known at this time, it does offer an opportunity for Nunez to lead the line. While the Uruguayan isn’t short on confidence, his finishing in his Liverpool career has left much to be desired. A benefit of the Slot system is that it forces the mercurial forward to take his shots from better positions instead of shooting from wherever on the pitch.
That could be something that helps improve his final product. While the ball that Nunez scored on is something that may have gone in without him touching it, it could be a turning point in his season. Coming off the bench during the season so far, if Jota isn’t fit, he’ll be needed during the weekend against Arsenal.
Liverpool are already atop the Premier Leauge but taking on Chelsea, RB Leipzig, and Arsenal in a span of less than 10 days would show that this is more than just a new manager bump for Liverpool but instead a refinement of Jurgen Klopp’s system to create true title contenders. Arsenal will have their own issues coming into the match as injuries and suspensions have hampered Mikel Arteta’s options.
All Liverpool can do is play the teams that are in front of them but the absence of William Saliba will make things a bit easier for Nunez to find the back of the net again. Scoring in consecutive matches is the first step to creating a new trend and if Nunez can do that, it may unlock a new gear in Slot’s attack.
