Darwin Núñez’s injury-time double at Brentford keeps Liverpool on title track
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The Brentford fans ought to have known better. After all, Darwin Núñez had scored a fabulous goal against their team in the corresponding fixture here last season. Still, when Núñez entered as a 65th minute substitute, they were ready with their taunt, one that compared him unfavourably to his one-time Liverpool predecessor, Andy Carroll.
![[Darwin Núñez sees his strike break the deadlock]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/04d3cee5f193d65e07185c145525c1f0c2c29dbb/0_0_4149_2766/master/4149.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Núñez had travelled to London having scored only four times all season. The scrutiny burned. It was no kind of return for an £85m record signing. Arne Slot had insisted he would come good, that it was simply a matter of getting him into the right spaces and situations against deep-set opponents. How it would work out at the very end for Núñez and Liverpool.
![[Darwin Núñez fires Liverpool in front in added time]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/72adaa52a171b1cc48fc74749ca27965fdf0b832/0_0_4234_2822/master/4234.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The initial signs were not good – a misdirected header, a wild blast into the stands. Liverpool had turned the screw throughout, raining in shots on the Brentford goal. When the board went up to show four additional minutes, they had tried 35 – without success.
Finally, they got one to work and Núñez’s delight knew no bounds, the celebrations suitably wild. Another substitute, Harry Elliott, had sparked the move up the inside right and when Trent Alexander-Arnold got the break of the ball, he crossed low and there was Núñez to sweep home.
There was more. It was another Elliott assist and another Núñez finish; this one lashed high into the net, utterly emphatic. “You’re just a shit Andy Carroll,” came the chant. This time, it was delivered with collective mischief from the travelling Liverpool supporters.
