Arne Slot decision speaks volumes as Darwin Nunez truth emerges after Liverpool body language claims

Gakpo justifies Diaz decision

The last time Lutsharel Geertruida was this close to Liverpool’s players, he was sat in the away end at West Ham United back in April.

That was sufficient for tongues to wag the right-back was about to follow his Feyenoord boss Arne Slot to Anfield, although the Holland international ended up instead heading to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig.

And he will be quite happy not to again encounter the Reds, and in particular compatriot Cody Gakpo, any time soon.

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A booking midway through the first half for clattering the left winger highlighted not only a difficult evening for Geertruida – Liverpool’s winner originated from his flank and the Leipzig man was long substituted before the final whistle – but also the impressive form of Gakpo.

While Luis Diaz, who emerged from the bench on the right wing late on, started the season at a brisk pace, there’s little doubt Gakpo is keeping the Colombian out of the side on merit having now started the last three games.

His involvement in sending Kostas Tsimikas into space inside the area was key to creating Liverpool’s winner, while only the excellence of former Reds goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi prevented the Dutchman from netting the goal his overall performance deserved.

Both Gakpo and Diaz will be required during a long season. And their ability to keep pushing one another is the competition for places any successful team desires.

Nunez answers Liverpool question

Darwin Nunez knows it will take more than a couple of good performances to convince the doubters he should form part of Liverpool’s long-term future under Arne Slot.

Beyond doubt, however, is that for all the debate surrounding body language and social media machinations, the Uruguay international remains determined to prove his worth during a new Anfield era.

Having spent much of the early weeks of the season a frustrated figure on the bench, an injury to Diogo Jota against Chelsea left the door slightly ajar for Nunez. And by backing up his all-action display on Sunday with the winner in Leipzig, the striker has barrelled his way through it.

Yes, his clincher in Germany may have only been a tap-in from a yard, but Nunez has been in need of solid numbers rather than the spectacular. And he should also have had a penalty when Willi Orban’s clear trip was remarkably not deemed a foul by any of the officials.

What will have similarly pleased Slot was the endeavour again demonstrated by Nunez, particularly in running the channels and dropping back to help out in defence without become a hindrance. It was, dare it be said, a controlled performance from the forward.

Having asked for a goal from Nunez before the game, this was another case of Slot’s players instantly responding to the demands of their head coach. This is a striker who wants to be involved in every sense.

Slot feels the depth

There will come a game where Arne Slot doesn’t create a new Liverpool landmark. Just not yet, though.

Another victory meant the Dutchman extended his best-ever start for a Reds boss to 11 wins in 12 games in all competitions, the first time Liverpool have ever achieved such a feat at the start of any season.

And it ensured they won their opening six away games in a campaign for the first time in the club’s history.

This was also a triumph that again underlined the strength in depth of a squad that is now being tested by the inevitable accumulation of injuries that saw them leave Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Harvey Elliott, Conor Bradley and Diogo Jota at home.

Intriguingly, barely two months after his first competitive game in charge, Slot named a starting line-up that included five different players to the one that walked out at Ipswich Town back in August.

Rotation was always going to be important given the current run of seven games in 21 days. Now all eyes will be on the Emirates this Sunday to find out where exactly Liverpool really do stand.