Liverpool legend slams Darwin Nunez after ‘one of the worst misses of the year’ saw Reds drop points at Aston Villa in the title race as Arne Slot admits striker is ‘feeling quite down’

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was left down and dejected after missing an open goal to win the game at Aston Villa on Wednesday night.

The Premier League leaders extended their advantage atop the table to eight points on Arsenal having played a game more but could only draw with a spirited Villa side, who led at half-time.

But Liverpool could easily have won when Dominik Szoboszlai squared a pass to Nunez late in the game, taking the goalkeeper out of the picture, only for the Uruguay striker to shank his shot high and wide.

Slot said: ‘There’s one player in the dressing room who feels quite down and I think you know who that is.

‘Szoboszlai made the perfect choice to pass it. It was a big chance. 

‘Very unlucky and I was hoping he could have got another one, because a player like him probably wouldn’t miss two chances in a row, he was very close afterwards.

Dominik Szoboszlai squared the ball to Nunez but he blazed over with the goal at his mercy

Arne Slot revealed that Nunez was ‘feeling quite down’ following his unfortunate blunder

‘They are all very disappointed but it is normal that when a player misses a chance like this that they would be more disappointed.’

Nunez has endured a difficult campaign for the Reds, scoring just six times across 35 appearances in all competitions.

The 25-year-old has enjoyed some memorable moments, such as when he netted two late goals at Brentford, but it is clear he is struggling for confidence.

And Reds legend Robbie Fowler also took aim at the Uruguayan and insisted his miss was unforgivable. 

‘He doesn’t think about the game enough,’ Fowler said on TNT Sports. ‘If you’re struggling for confidence you’ve got to go back to basics. 

‘You’ve got to get the ball, touch it, play it five yards. Play the simple things. You always need to go back to basics and do the simplicity of being a footballer.

‘He doesn’t think does he? It’s a bad miss, it’s a really bad miss – up there with one of the worst we’ve seen this year.   

‘Szoboszlai maybe should have shot himself, but he’s played a great ball to him and he’s missed the target, criminally, from eight yards. That can’t be happening.’

Nunez somehow blazed over from yards out and the Reds were forced to settle for a point

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler took aim at Nunez and claimed his miss was ‘criminal’

Meanwhile, Slot feels like Liverpool often don’t get what they deserve in matches and cited last week’s draw at Everton – which he accidentally called a ‘loss’ – as another example.

‘Performance wise (we are) not in a dip at all in my opinion… but what we must not do and what we do a bit too often is that we don’t get what we deserve,’ he added. 

‘We must not make a habit out of that because it happened a little bit too much but we’re eight points clear.’

Villa boss Unai Emery was not pleased with the draw and thought his team could have won – although he did say it was fair.

The Spaniard said: ‘I am not happy really when we are not winning the match because we played a good match. 

‘Liverpool are the best team in the Premier League and Champions League but we competed, we showed our capacity to face them and close to get the victory.

‘The result is fair for both teams.’