Darwin Nunez emerged as Liverpool’s hero with two stoppage-time goals, guiding his team to a dramatic 2-0 victory over Brentford. The Uruguayan striker came off the bench to break the deadlock and secure Liverpool’s first Premier League win of 2025.
Match Recap: Late Drama at the Gtech Community Stadium
- First Half: Liverpool Waste Chances, Brentford Hold Firm
- Mikkel Damsgaard missed a golden opportunity inside five minutes.
- Ryan Gravenberch forced Mark Flekken into a strong save from distance.
- Dominik Szoboszlai rattled the crossbar with a stunning long-range strike.
- Cody Gakpo missed from six yards out, failing to test the Brentford goalkeeper.
- Second Half: Brentford Threaten, But Nunez Changes the Game
- Luis Diaz had a penalty appeal waved away after going down in the box.
- Alisson denied Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade in quick succession.
- Nunez Subbed On (66’ Minute) – Impact Immediate:
- 91’ – Nunez scores after an assist from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
- 93’ – Nunez nets again, converting a pass from Harvey Elliott.
- Final Score: Brentford 0-2 Liverpool
Player Ratings & Analysis
Brentford (4-4-2)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Mark Flekken | 6.7/10 (Solid but helpless for both goals) |
| RB: Mads Roerslev | 6.8/10 (Defended well but struggled late) |
| CB: Nathan Collins | 6.6/10 (Strong in duels, caught out late) |
| CB: Sepp van den Berg | 6.4/10 (Lost track of Nunez for first goal) |
| LB: Keane Lewis-Potter | 6.6/10 (Worked hard but little impact) |
| RM: Bryan Mbeumo | 7.2/10 (Dangerous on the break) |
| CM: Vitaly Janelt | 7.5/10 (Controlled midfield, subbed) |
| CM: Christian Norgaard | 6.5/10 (Struggled late on) |
| LM: Yegor Yarmolyuk | 7.1/10 (Energetic display) |
| ST: Yoane Wissa | 6.9/10 (Held the ball well, no end product) |
| ST: Mikkel Damsgaard | 6.5/10 (Missed big chance early on) |
Substitutes:
- Kevin Schade (66’ for Janelt): 6.7/10
- Mathias Jensen (80’ for Damsgaard): 6.0/10
🔹 Player of the Match: Darwin Nunez (8.6/10)
Liverpool (4-2-3-1)
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| GK: Alisson | 7.6/10 (Crucial saves kept Liverpool level) |
| RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold | 8.5/10 (Assist for Nunez’s first goal) |
| CB: Ibrahima Konate | 7.4/10 (Strong defensive display) |
| CB: Virgil van Dijk | 7.5/10 (Commanding presence at the back) |
| LB: Kostas Tsimikas | 7.2/10 (Solid defensively, subbed) |
| DM: Ryan Gravenberch | 7.4/10 (Tested the keeper from range) |
| DM: Alexis Mac Allister | 7.6/10 (Good ball retention) |
| RW: Mohamed Salah | 7.8/10 (Always a threat in attack) |
| AM: Dominik Szoboszlai | 7.3/10 (Unlucky with a shot off the bar) |
| LW: Cody Gakpo | 7.7/10 (Created chances, but missed big one) |
| ST: Luis Diaz | 7.2/10 (Denied a penalty, subbed) |
Substitutes:
- Darwin Nunez (66’ for Diaz): 8.6/10 (Two goals, game-changer)
- Harvey Elliott (80’ for Szoboszlai): 7.0/10 (Assist for Nunez’s second)
- Curtis Jones (80’ for Mac Allister): 6.7/10
- Federico Chiesa (87’ for Gakpo): N/A
Key Takeaways from the Match
✅ Darwin Nunez’s Stoppage-Time Heroics: A brace in two minutes turned a frustrating match into a huge win.
✅ Liverpool’s Title Hopes Stay Alive: Avoiding another slip-up keeps Arne Slot’s side in contention.
✅ Brentford’s Missed Chances: Mikkel Damsgaard and Brentford’s attack wasted key opportunities that could have changed the game.
✅ Liverpool’s Squad Depth Proves Crucial: Substitutes Nunez and Elliott combined for the decisive goal, showcasing the Reds’ attacking depth.
What’s Next?
- Liverpool: Stay in the title race with this crucial victory. Can Nunez build on this form?
- Brentford: Still hovering near the relegation zone—they need to be more clinical in front of goal.
FAQs
- Who scored for Liverpool?
- Darwin Nunez scored twice in stoppage time (91’ and 93’).
- Why was Nunez on the bench?
- Arne Slot opted for Luis Diaz as the starter, but Nunez made a huge impact as a substitute.
- Who assisted Nunez’s goals?
- Trent Alexander-Arnold set up the first, while Harvey Elliott provided the second.
- Did Liverpool deserve to win?
- Despite missing several chances, their persistence paid off late, justifying the result.
- How does this impact the Premier League table?
- Liverpool maintain pressure at the top, while Brentford remain in a difficult position near the bottom.
