Luis Suárez sends a message to Darwin Núñez as Arne Slot criticizes the Liverpool star’s conduct.

Luis Suárez has praised Darwin Núñez despite the striker missing a golden opportunity in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa and facing criticism from his manager.

Núñez, who came off the bench, failed to convert a clear chance in the second half when Dominik Szoboszlai set him up with an open goal. His miss added to ongoing concerns about his finishing, while Liverpool’s draw gave Arsenal a slight advantage in the title race.

Arne Slot, however, was more frustrated with Núñez’s reaction to the miss rather than the miss itself. The Dutch coach suggested that the forward’s work rate dipped afterward, as he struggled to shake off the disappointment.

Despite this, Suárez jumped to his compatriot’s defense. In response to Núñez’s social media post vowing to give his all for Liverpool, Suárez offered words of encouragement, calling him a “goal-scorer” and praising his positive attitude.

Núñez, who joined Liverpool from Benfica in 2022 for a club-record fee, has scored six goals in 35 appearances this season and is not a guaranteed starter. With speculation about a potential summer departure, Slot addressed his performance, emphasizing that while misses are part of the game, a player’s reaction and effort after a mistake are just as important.