'We couldn't take the risk' - Why Darwin Nunez didn't start for Liverpool vs Brighton

Darwin Nunez did not start against Brighton in the Carabao Cup as

The Uruguayan emerged from the substitutes' bench in the second half of after opted to start without a conventional striker on the South Coast, with also missing the game through injury.

Nunez started each of previous three games, against Chelsea, RB Leipzig and Arsenal, having previously lined up in just three games all season, and Slot confirmed that he wanted to rest the striker.

“I prefer to play with a number nine but if they are not available – and of course we had Darwin available – but I think it was not good for him to start today after playing three games and the upcoming schedule,” Slot said during his post-match press conference. “Then this was the result of what we tried to come up with and the players did really well in my opinion.”

It was a point that Slot reiterated in an interview with club media, saying: “It’s true that we had a number nine available in Darwin Nunez but because he played so many games last week we couldn’t take the risk of him playing this one again with the upcoming fixtures as well."

Portuguese forward Jota wasn't the only Liverpool player who missed the game through injury, with Alisson, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa also remaining sidelined and seemingly all unlikely to return before the November international break. One player who did return to the Liverpool team was Conor Bradley, with the Irishman lining up and playing the full 90 minutes after missing the Reds' last three games due to injury.

Liverpool didn't end up needing an out-and-out striker against Brighton, as Cody Gakpo scored twice and Luis Diaz also registered in the win at the AMEX Stadium. The Reds will return to the South Coast in the quarter-finals in a tie that will take place during the week commencing December 16.