Brentford 0-2 Liverpool: Darwin Nunez answers critics with last-gasp double to send leaders seven points clear | OneFootball

Much-maligned striker comes off the bench to score twice in stoppage time in dramatic finale

Darwin Nunez silenced his critics with a stunning last-gasp brace off the bench to lead Liverpool to a dramatic late 2-0 victory over Brentford.

Both managers made just one change from battling midweek draws with Manchester City and Nottingham Forest respectively, Brentford boss Thomas Frank replacing Mathias Jensen with Yehor Yarmoliuk in midfield and Liverpool counterpart Arne Slot opting for Kostas Tsimikas over Andy Robertson at left-back, with Luis Diaz passed fit after illness and Nunez back on the bench after suspension as Diogo Jota joined Joe Gomez on the sidelines.

It was a typically open start to a game between two high-scoring teams, with Mikkel Damsgaard just missing the chance to tap home from close range for Brentford after Mads Roerslev’s dangerous low cross took a vital deflection.

Bryan Mbeumo also shot at Alisson, while Bees captain Christian Norgaard headed well off target from a free-kick.

Most of the first-half pressure came from Liverpool, who quickly piled up the corners and hit the crossbar through Dominik Szoboszlai, who was their chief attacking threat as he and midfield colleague Ryan Gravenberch both tested Mark Flekken in the Brentford goal.

Liverpool’s best chance before the break came after a blistering counter-attack as Mohamed Salah teed up Cody Gakpo, who could not pick out the bottom corner as the ball bobbled off his heel.

Szoboszlai continued to pose a threat early in the second half but Liverpool carried on lacking a final ball and killer instinct as they were thwarted numerous times by their own former defender in Sepp van den Berg, who made several key blocks and clearances including one to deny Diaz.

Nunez replaced Diaz with 25 minutes to play as Slot looked to his bench for the first time and was quickly into the thick of the action as he steered a header wide.

Brentford continued to produce block after block as Alexis Mac Allister saw a couple of efforts repelled and then headed into the side netting after losing his marker at a corner.

The game opened up heading into a thrilling last 15 minutes, Alisson saving from both Mbeumo and Brentford substitute Kevin Schade having made an important punch away from Norgaard at his front post.

Alisson saved again from Mbeumo - a rumoured Liverpool transfer target - and later Yoane Wissa before Trent Alexander-Arnold flashed an effort agonisingly wide as both sides continued to threaten a winning goal.

Yarmoliuk and Salah both let fly with time ticking down, the Egyptian rifling narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Then came the stoppage-time heroics from Nunez, who first swept home from Alexander-Arnold’s pass before finishing off a ruthless counter-attack two minutes later to seal the most dramatic of late victories.