DARWIN NUNEZ rammed the scorn of Brentford fans down their throats with the stoppage-time goal that saved Liverpool from another damaging draw.
Eredivisie 2024/2025
0-2
- Nunez (90'+1')
Match report
“You're just as**t Andy Carroll” sang the home faithful as Kop boss Arne Slot sent his unconvincing Uruguayan out to try and find the breakthrough.
But in the first minute of extra time, Nunez tucked home Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross, finally turning his team's dominance into a goal.
The away fans responded by tuning the Bees' chant back to them.
But when Nunez struck again to remove all doubt, the traveling supporters opted for “Liverpool, Liverpool, top of the league” and “We will not be moved”.
These are the days when titles are won and lost.
If the Reds had come away with just one point despite over forty shots, six of the nine points would have been lost.
Instead, Nunez threw down the gauntlet to Arsenal ahead of the teatime kick-off with two of the most important goals of his Liverpool career.
Brentford had no complaints but threatened themselves in a harum-scarum second half.
But Liverpool were undeniable after a slow start.
Brentford should have scored within five minutes.
Right-back Mads Roerslev crossed from close range on the byline, but a slight deflection deceived Mikkel Damsgaard and he was unable to adjust as he couldn't even touch the ball as he lurked at the back post.
Kostas Tsimikas started the match after his immediate impact as a substitute against Nottingham Forest, but quickly gave Slot reason to question whether it was the right decision.
Within eight minutes the Greek was shown a yellow card for pulling back Bryan Mbeumo on the halfway line and beckoning a long afternoon against the Brentford main man.
Mbeumo had a few shots easily saved by Alisson and in between Liverpool started to look a little more threatening, with one particularly good chance.
Central defender Ibrahima Konate scored a pass, but Luis Diaz got his headed attempt completely wrong, so much so that the ball came off his back and went behind.
Brentford goalkeeper Mark Fleken kept out a Ryan Gravenberch shot without too much difficulty and Liverpool's attacking play lacked authority in the final third.
Home captain Christian Norgaard sent a header over from Mbeumo's free kick. Dominik Szboszlai's effort at the other end was deflected for one of a number of corners for the away side, none of which they could make count.
The Hungarian came into the match and after ending a good run with a tame shot, his next effort, this time from distance, hit the crossbar.
A little later, Szoboszlai was again involved in a nice action by Gakpo.
The Dutchman should have finished it too, but his shot from Mo Salah's cross would not have been hard enough even if it had been on target.
The Reds ended the half with eighteen shots and nine corners, but no goals yet.
Within seconds of the restart, Szoboszlai's cross went wide.
Then a brilliant break ended with Salah's shot half blocked and headed behind for another corner, and another with Diaz's effort cleared by Sepp van den Berg.
Brentford also looked dangerous at times. Trent Alexander-Arnold sprinted back to clear after Mbeumo got one pass on target.
Liverpool eventually forced a save from Fleken through Diaz, but the Colombian was guilty of a dive when he followed.
Slot soon sent on Darwin Nunez for Diaz, and the Uruguayan was greeted by the home fans with a chorus of “You're just as**t Andy Carroll.”
Nunez barely left them eating their words as he failed to make the most of his first chance and headed away from goal.
And the cheers of the Liverpool fans got stuck in their throats when they realized Alexis Mac Allister's header had gone the wrong side of the post.
There were jitters at the other end when a free kick from Mbeumo reached all the way to Allison, who pushed the ball away in panic and saved from the same player moments later.
Alexander-Arnold was furious when Nunez squandered a promising position with a mindless shot well over the crossbar.
The only previous time Liverpool have failed to score in the league was in their only defeat, at home to Forest in September.
Finally, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones sent in search of the breakthrough.
Instead, Yoane tested Wissa Alisson with a shot, before Alexander-Arnold shot wide and Van Dijk cleared Kevin Schade's dangerous cross.
Slot's final roll of the dice was designed to send Federico Chiesa off in the final minutes.
But it was Nunez who came out on top.
Competition events
0' The match is about to start!
6' Nørgaard shot wide to the left from very close range
7' Gakpo header from the center of the penalty area stopped in the bottom left corner
8' Tsimikas an early booking. Liverpool receives his first yellow card
15' Luis Díaz header from the left side of the six yard box is close
18' Gravenberch's shot from outside the penalty area is saved in the bottom left corner
23' Header by Nørgaard from the center of the penalty area just a little too high
35' Szoboszlai, hits the crossbar with a shot from outside the penalty area
39' Gakpo's shot from the center of the penalty area almost hits the mark, but too far to the right
43' Yellow card! Szoboszlai booked
49' Gakpo's shot was stopped by defender
52' Lewis-Potter goes down, but the referee says to take note
55' Mohamed Salah's shot from the center of the penalty area blocked
58' MBUEMO spoils a HUGE OPPORTUNITY!
67' Darwin Núñez header from the center of the penalty area misses the left side of the goal
69' Mac Allister header from the center of the penalty area almost hits the mark, but too far to the left
80' Sub, Mac Allister out
84' Alexander-Arnold's shot from outside the penalty area is on target, but too far to the left
87' CHIESA HAS ENTERED THE COURT!
89' match event for Brentford vs Liverpool
91' GOAL! Brentford 0-1 Liverpool (Darwin Núñez)
92' GOAL! Brentford 0-2 Liverpool (Darwin Núñez)
Setups
Brentford
Subs: Mee, Rico Henry, Mathias Jensen, Hákon Rafn Valdimarsson, Fabio Carvalho, Paris Maghoma, Kevin Schade, Ji-soo Kim, Yunus Emre Konak
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Salah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Gakpo, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Luis Díaz, Gravenberch
Subs: Endo, Robertson, Kelleher, Chiesa, Nunez, Curtis Jones, Elliott, Quansah, Conor Bradley
Comments