Arne Slot expressed disappointment after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa but admitted no one was more frustrated than Darwin Nunez, who squandered a golden opportunity to secure victory.
Liverpool had taken the lead through Mohamed Salah in the 29th minute, but Villa responded swiftly with goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins to go into halftime ahead.
Trent Alexander-Arnold leveled the match on the hour mark, setting up a thrilling finale.
Nunez then found himself with a chance to seal all three points when Dominik Szoboszlai unselfishly squared the ball, leaving Emiliano Martinez stranded.
However, the Uruguayan forward fired over the bar despite beating Tyrone Mings to the ball, frustrating Liverpool fans in the away section.
Speaking after the match, Slot analyzed the moment, praising Szoboszlai’s decision-making. “What a pass from Conor Bradley and what a powerful run from Szoboszlai.
He made the perfect choice to square it, turning a one-on-one into an open-goal chance,” Slot said.
“It was on Nunez’s weaker foot, but still a big opportunity. Very unlucky. I was hoping he’d get another chance because a player like him rarely misses two in a row, but Martinez made a great sliding tackle later on. We were all disappointed, but naturally, Darwin feels it the most.”
A win would have given Liverpool a ten-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League title race, but they now hold an eight-point advantage, with the Gunners having a game in hand.
Looking ahead, Liverpool face a crucial clash against Manchester City, who are reeling from their Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid.
Reflecting on his team’s performance, Slot said: “It was a great game. Going in 2-1 down at halftime didn’t reflect how we played. We fought back to 2-2, created enough chances to win, but in the end, we could have lost it too.”
Despite Liverpool’s dominance, Slot emphasized the importance of capitalizing on key moments. “We defended well, limited Villa’s chances, but conceded from a set piece and failed to convert our own. We need to make sure we get what we deserve this can’t become a habit.”
With a tough away fixture at the Etihad up next, Liverpool must bounce back quickly to maintain their title charge.