Liverpool ended a irritating 90 minutes at Brentford with a well timed brace from substitute Darwin Nunez, his heroics defying the narrative and incomes a 2-0 win.
Brentford 0-2 Liverpool
Premier League (21) | Gtech Neighborhood StadiumJanuary 18, 2025
Objectives
Nunez 90+1′ (help – Alexander-Arnold)Nunez 90+3′ (help – Elliott)
After the frustration of their journey to the Metropolis Floor in midweek, the Reds lined up at Brentford with one change as Kostas Tsimikas got here in for a troublesome battle in opposition to Bryan Mbeumo.
It was that right-hand facet for Brentford that marked the early levels, not least a cross from Mads Roerslev which ought to have been turned in by Mikkel Damsgaard with the purpose open.
The primary time Liverpool actually examined Mark Flekken was, after a sustained interval of buildup, Alexis Mac Allister performed it across the nook to Ryan Gravenberch, whose long-range effort was tipped huge.
The guests received nook after nook – seven within the first half-hour – however regardless of their success in opposition to Nottingham Forest they struggled to make them depend, as has typically been the case this season.
Two possibilities in fast succession for Dominik Szoboszlai – one thudding the crossbar – served as a warning of Liverpool’s rising risk, and so they deserved to be 1-0 up after a counter Cody Gakpo began and actually ought to have completed.
HT: Brentford 0-0 Liverpool
Liverpool saved up the stress after the break with a range of their assault, and Szoboszlai had a goalbound roller headed behind by former teammate Sepp van den Berg minutes in.
It was one other irritating afternoon for the Reds, nevertheless, with 24 pictures on purpose within the opening hour and although solely 5 had been on the right track, these had been worthy of 1.91 anticipated targets to Brentford‘s 0.43.
Arne Slot combined issues up with the return of Andy Robertson and a mandatory change up entrance, with Darwin Nunez taking up from a sport however ineffective Luis Diaz, whose stint as first-choice No. 9 has coincided with a barren run.
Later got here Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and later Federico Chiesa, with the top coach determined for a change of fortunes.
But it surely was Nunez who was the eventual hero, the Uruguayan stabbing house from shut vary from Trent Alexander-Arnold‘s cutback after which hammering in one other to safe an important win.
TIA Man of the Match: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Referee: Andy Madley
Brentford: Flekken; Roerslev, Van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter; Norgaard, Janelt (Schade 66′), Yarmoliuk; Mbeumo, Damsgaard (Jensen 80′), Wissa
Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Mee, Ji-soo, Henry, Konak, Maghoma, Carvalho
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson 65′); Gravenberch, Mac Allister (Jones 80′), Szoboszlai (Elliott 80′); Salah, Gakpo (Chiesa 87′), Diaz (Nunez 65′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Quansah, Bradley, Endo
Subsequent match: Lille (H) – Champions League – Tuesday, January 21, 8pm (GMT)
