I know how Liverpool fans will react to Darwin Nunez at the Etihad Stadium - it says everything

Arne Slot didn’t hold back when reprimanding Darwin Nunez.

The Liverpool head coach was not irked by the striker’s glaring miss that would have earned three points against Aston Villa. Instead, Slot was peeved by Nunez’s lack of work-rate after he failed to covert with the goal gaping - and felt it had an impact when the Uruguay international failed to take advantage of another opening moments later but was tackled by onrushing Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez.

“I can accept misses but what is harder for me to accept is his behaviour after the chance,” said Slot. “It got too much in his head, he was not the usual ­Darwin who works his ass off and makes sure he helps the team,” Slot said. “He was too ­disappointed he missed that chance. Maybe we will never know but maybe that was why he was just a fraction short the moment afterwards.”

In terms of consistency, Nunez has struggled to find any since his arrival from Benfica in 2022. Liverpool paid a joint-record £75 million fee for a centre-forward who has fired 34 goals for the Portuguese giants and wreaked havoc against Liverpool in the Champions League.

It was accepted the Uruguay international was arriving on Merseyside still raw after spending two years at Benfica. Aged 22 at the time, he needed to be honed. But almost three years later, the same struggles he arrived with have not been polished. Nunez remains volatile.

There have been some breathtaking, staggering moments. His double off the bench to inspire 10-man Liverpool to victory over Newcastle United in August 2023, his finish at Brentford in February 2024, a two-goal salvo against Manchester United in the same month his brace off the bench at Brentford earlier this year stick out. Yet there have been too many chances spurned for the fee Liverpool paid. In total, he has just 24 Premier League goals in 86 appearances - and 39 goals in 131 outings in all competitions.

The fact that Nunez is not first choice says a lot. This season, Diogo Jota went four months without starting a league game because of his injury issues. During that time, the ex-Almeria man could not take advantage and Jota is again ahead in the pecking order.

In truth, it would be a shock if Nunez was to start today’s trip to Manchester City. All of the signs suggest that it could well be his final season at Liverpool amid interest from Saudi Arabia last month. But one thing has been fairly reliable when it comes to Nunez - Liverpool fans are desperate for it to work out.

They chant his name with verve and gusto at every opportunity - whether that’s him winning a corner, having a shot blocked or making a tackle. That’s exactly the backing he will get at the Etihad Stadium from those making the short trip across the East Lancs. However, they are not foolish. Nunez will be expected to be back to, as Slot put it, to work his ass off if he does come off the bench.