Steve Nicol says there’s no way £64m player should be in Arne Slot’s starting XI for Liverpool 

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Liverpool are set to ramp up their pre-season preparations with the return of more key players this week.

Arne Slot has so far had to make do with fielding a slightly weakened Reds sides during the summer friendlies so far.

With so many Liverpool players going deep into the summer international tournaments with their countries, the new head coach has had to wait to meet some of his biggest stars.

That patience will pay off on Tuesday, as Slot meets his full Liverpool squad for the first time at the AXA Training Centre. We’re looking forward to the content.

From there, it should start to become more clear who the Dutchman sees as being in his best Liverpool XI.

Steve Nicol makes Darwin Nunez point

From what we’ve seen in pre-season so far, it has been possible to ascertain a few things about which players Slot likes and which he does not.

Wataru Endo has fallen out of favour, for example, while Slot has been impressed with Fabio Carvalho.

With seven key players returning on Tuesday, it will be interesting to note which of the academy players who joined the USA tour drop back down and which ones remain with the first-team.

As the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez meet Slot, it will also be fascinating to see how he uses each one.

READ MORE: Luis Diaz shows off new hairstyle as he arrives for pre-season alongside Darwin Nunez

Slot has talked Nunez up right from his very first days as Liverpool head coach. But according to ESPN UK pundit Steve Nicol, the Uruguayan has no business being in the Reds’ best XI over Diogo Jota.

“I think Jota’s one of the best finishers in the Premier League, simple as that,” says the Liverpool legend. “And that’s the reason I’ve got him ahead of Nunez. That’s the one thing Nunez has to get better at.

“As a new manager coming in, the one thing in your head is always about ‘let’s have a good start’ and you can’t afford to think about the future, because that’s what you’re doing with Nunez,” Nicol adds.

“Right now, in terms of finishing, he’s not where he should be. Right now, in terms of finishing, Jota is and he’s fit. And that’s why if I’m Arne Slot I play Jota over Nunez.”

Big few weeks ahead for Darwin Nunez

Owing to the fact that he has arrived much later than the likes of Jota, it would be a surprise to see Nunez start Liverpool’s Premier League opener in just over a week’s time.

However, that does not give the 25-year-old a free pass this week in training. As he has a bit of a question mark over his head right now, it’s vital that Nunez makes a positive first impression on Slot.

Slot rates Nunez and it’s been claimed that he wants to make the striker a key part of his team. But if Darwin comes back sluggish in training, then it could set the tone for the whole season.

For what it’s worth, it’s hard to argue with Nicol’s assertion that Jota is a much better finisher than Nunez. But the £64m man does give you plenty more besides.

As the players continue to get used to Slot and the boss begins to see his whole squad together, it might not be long before we get a definitive answer to his one.