Brentford 0-2 Liverpool: Player ratings as last-gasp Nunez stings Bees
- Darwin Nunez scored twice in stoppage time as Liverpool beat Brentford
- Much-maligned Uruguayan secured Reds' first league win of 2025
- Arne Slot's side avoided another slip-up in the Premier League title race
A stoppage-time brace from Darwin Nunez handed Liverpool a dramatic 2-0 win over Brentford in a thoroughly entertaining Premier League clash.
Liverpool had been frustrated for much of the encounter by a resilient Brentford and their profligacy almost proved costly. But substitute Nunez, who manager Arne Slot admitted pre-game to struggling to get the best out of, made an enormous impact off the bench as his brace guided the Reds to a crucial victory.
Slot's side had conceded the opening goal in their last two Premier League outings and should have found themselves behind within five minutes as Mikkel Damsgaard inexplicably failed to convert from several yards out with the goal gaping.
Ryan Gravenberch forced Mark Flekken into an impressive save as Liverpool looked to punish Brentford's wastefulness, but the Dutchman's long-range effort was turned around the post by his international teammate.
Both sides continued to threaten in the final third as they sought an opener and Dominik Szoboszlai came close to handing Liverpool the lead. The Hungarian unleashed a venomous strike from 25 yards that crashed against the top of the crossbar, much to the relief of the home side.
Brentford were let off the hook again just four minutes later as a sweeping counter-attack carved the home side open, but Cody Gakpo's weak effort from six yards failed to test the sprawling Flekken as Liverpool wasted another promising opportunity before the break.
Liverpool continued to pepper the Brentford goal after the restart without overworking Flekken, but Luis Diaz did force the Brentford stopper into a save before referee Andy Madley rightly waved away penalty appeals following the Colombian's subsequent dive.
Brentford refused to sit deep and simply soak up pressure, thrusting numbers forward at every feasible opportunity. Bryan Mbeumo and substitute Kevin Schade both tested Alisson in quick succession with just over 15 minutes remaining as Liverpool were made to fret.
It appeared as if it wasn't going to be Liverpool's day at the Gtech Community Stadium but Nunez proved the difference-maker in stoppage time. Goals in the 91st and 93rd minute secured three vital points for the Reds, with the under-fire striker's clinical efforts downing the spirited Bees.
Brentford player ratings (4-4-2)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Mark Flekken | 6.7/10 |
RB: Mads Roerslev | 6.8/10 |
CB: Nathan Collins | 6.6/10 |
CB: Sepp van den Berg | 6.4/10 |
LB: Keane Lewis-Potter | 6.6/10 |
RM: Bryan Mbeumo | 7.2/10 |
CM: Vitaly Janelt | 7.5/10 |
CM: Christian Norgaard | 6.5/10 |
LM: Yegor Yarmolyuk | 7.1/10 |
ST: Yoane Wissa | 6.9/10 |
ST: Mikkel Damsgaard | 6.5/10 |
SUB: Kevin Schade (66' for Janelt) | 6.7/10 |
SUB: Mathias Jensen (80' for Damsgaard) | 6.0/10 |
Subs not used: Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson (GK), Ben Mee, Kim Ji-soo, Rico Henry, Yunus Emre Konak, Edmond-Paris Maghoma, Fabio Carvalho.
Liverpool player ratings (4-2-3-1)
Player | Rating |
|---|---|
GK: Alisson | 7.6/10 |
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold | 8.5/10 |
CB: Ibrahima Konate | 7.4/10 |
CB: Virgil van Dijk | 7.5/10 |
LB: Kostas Tsimikas | 7.2/10 |
DM: Ryan Gravenberch | 7.4/10 |
DM: Alexis Mac Allister | 7.6/10 |
RW: Mohamed Salah | 7.8/10 |
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai | 7.3/10 |
LW: Cody Gakpo | 7.7/10 |
ST: Luis Diaz | 7.2/10 |
SUB: Darwin Nunez (66' for Diaz) | 8.6/10 |
SUB: Kostas Tsimikas (66' for Robertson) | 6.8/10 |
SUB: Harvey Elliott (80' for Szoboszlai) | 7.0/10 |
SUB: Curtis Jones (80' for Mac Allister) | 6.7/10 |
SUB: Federico Chiesa (87' for Gakpo) | N/A |
Subs not used: Caoimhin Kelleher (GK), Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Wataru Endo.
Player of the match - Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
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