With time ticking down dangerously for a relentless Liverpool side on a bitterly cold afternoon in Brentford, Darwin Nunez received the ball on the edge of the area and struck it as if he were a rugby player at nearby Twickenham.
Up, up and away from the posts and straight towards the M4 which runs behind this stadium. It took Liverpool’s shot count to 30 and summed up their afternoon: imperious build-up play, zero end product. Nobody owns cattle, as the old saying goes.
Arne Slot was left scratching his head on the sidelines as his team were about to drop points for the third league game in a row, barely opening the door and treating Arsenal to a cup of tea, but certainly leaving it ajar for the Gunners to really rekindle a challenge for the title. .
Then, with the 36th and 37th shots, Núñez came up with two golden moments that would have sent shock waves throughout the football world to silence the skeptics in the fan base and certainly those Arsenal fans at the Emirates who thought that They were ready to chase more ground.
How he needed him and how Slot needed the man from whom, on Friday, the coach said he was not managing to get the best out of. Fans had wondered whether Nunez would ever live up to his £85million transfer fee, with some urging the club to cash in if the Saudis paid a decent fee this summer.
If those two goals help Liverpool win the Premier League title, they will be priceless. It was an afternoon riddled with frustration that suddenly turned into a day the traveling Kop will not soon forget.
Darwin Núñez scored two goals in injury time to surprise Brentford and seal Liverpool’s 2-0 victory.
Nunez was called up from the bench, but was there when needed to break the Bees’ hearts.
The Uruguayan’s double save in stoppage time was the 36th and 37th shots of the game
Núñez lifted their shirt like Lionel Messi in El Clásico about a decade ago.
Let’s leave the comparisons at that, but he had every right to feel on top of the world as Reds fans ironically chanted “this is so fucking Andy Carroll.”
Say what you want about his English skills, but he always responds to that chant, whether he understands it or not.
“He always makes a big impact when he comes in,” Slot said of Nunez. ‘It provides energy and power. In most of our games, the first hour is usually open, but the last 30 minutes (we are) dominant. So it’s good to have someone like Darwin.
‘I am very satisfied with our performance. Brentford turned it into a brawl. They have good players and a good game plan. “It was a nice game (for me) to watch, like every time Liverpool are on the field.”
For 91 long minutes, that statement of “a nice game to watch” felt wrong. At least not for Slot or Liverpool fans. An expected goal (xG) of 3.40, 37 shots, 15 huge corners – the league leaders snorted but couldn’t breach Brentford’s red and white barrier.
Credit must go to Thomas Frank’s men, who also had chances to score the winning goal at the other end and would have done so had Mikkel Damsgaard and Yoane Wissa prepared their shooting boots, but in the end no one could have said that they were worthy of the point they got. almost won.
It was a brave performance and Frank said: “We’ve just played Manchester City, Arsenal and now Liverpool in a short space of time.” Liverpool are a level above both of them. They are complete. It is the best team in the Premier League and in the world. “They are big favorites to win it.”
Red-hot midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard squandered a glorious chance as Brentford took the lead
Dominik Szoboszlai was a threat for the visitors and had two shots on goal in one minute.
Arne Slot’s team was huffing and puffing against the red and white wall, but could not find a way before the arrival of Núñez.
Thomas Frank’s side produced an inspired performance that kept the leaders offside for 90 minutes
Despite Liverpool’s constant threat, Bryan Mbeumo was a thorn in the Reds’ side on the counter-attack.
Wise words from one of the wisest men in football, who admitted that the result was fair. It was, although if we listed all the opportunities they had, this article would fill the entire newspaper, but Luis Díaz, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo missed particularly golden opportunities.
Núñez then ducked that aforementioned effort towards the Z row, but soon appeared in the box to get on the end of a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross. In a second, his shirt was off, the visiting team went into a frenzy and any sign of a dented title bid vanished.
In his next touch there were two and, knowing what we know about Núñez, the only surprise is that he did not take off his shirt again and was sent off in the process. He could have been forgiven if he had done so, after producing a title-defining moment for Liverpool.