Liverpool's back-up brigade give belief they will power to glory as substitutes make the difference in last-gasp Brentford victory
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He had only played a cameo off the bench but he was saluted like a king by the travelling Kop. Darwin Nunez had scored a last-gasp goal to put Liverpool in front and in the driving seat to win a 20th English league title. Except we are not talking of his magic-man antics at Brentford on Saturday but his 99th-minute winner at Nottingham Forest last March.
![[Fellow subs Harvey Elliott (left) and Federico Chiesa (right) also played big roles]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/19/21/94273909-14302711-image-a-39_1737321801262.jpg)
It propelled the Reds four points clear at the top of the Premier League table and it felt like a season-defining strike. Only it wasn’t. Liverpool faltered in their quest by dropping points in six of their last 11 league games. In Nunez’s case, not much has changed. He had not made the squad for the previous league game and came into this match under scrutiny.
But the point is Liverpool and Nunez have been here before. And now is the time to seize their opportunity and power on. Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score twice in injury time and seal the three points. A draw at Brentford would not have been a disaster, especially as title rivals Arsenal drew in the later game — but it would have twisted the narrative, and a lead of six points could easily have been just two points if the day had played out differently.
It was widely expected that Arne Slot’s team would be in transition this season as the new regime bedded in. Top four felt like the realistic target in August — but now the goalposts have moved and anything but the title would be a big disappointment.
There are factors heavily in their favour this time. Arsenal are not the beast they were in the last two seasons and are struggling for winning consistency while, more importantly, four-in-a-row champions Manchester City are a shadow of their old selves and will not triumph again.
