Darwin Nunez laughs off critics with decisive double for Liverpool’s title bid
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Brentford 0-2 Liverpool: Nunez came off the bench to fire home two late goals and keep the league leaders on track for the title. A punchline of a different sort. Darwin Nunez hasn’t had the most enjoyable season so far, to the point his performances have been met with some derision, but on Saturday enjoyed his best day at Liverpool for over a year. Or, perhaps, his best few minutes.
This trip to Brentford was an occasion when his team needed goals, and especially a match-winning stoppage-time double like this, almost more than Nunez himself. As the board went up to show a mere four minutes remaining, the 0-0 scoreline was about to bring Liverpool’s fifth draw in eight games. It would have only invigorated second-place Arsenal, who were starting against Aston Villa immediately afterwards.
The entire mood instead duly turned on Nunez’s pivot. At 91 minutes, with the ball finally breaking the right way for Liverpool in the Brentford box, Trent Alexander-Arnold clipped in a low cross for the striker to swivel and finish with power. Moments later, he doubled his tally for the game and that of the entire league campaign, by turning and smashing in another. It was quite a moment for his first goals in a month, and just his third and fourth in the league overall, as Liverpool claimed a 2-0 victory at what Arne Slot described as one of the hardest away trips in the Premier League.
The Dutch coach did make a point of stating his team had subjected Brentford to one of their own toughest experiences, as there won’t be too many occasions when they face 37 shots. One of those efforts was an absurdly wayward Nunez header, of the type that looks a visible example of a striker struggling for confidence and has caused rolled eyes in Liverpool’s support.
