Liverpool Move Seven Points Clear with Late Victory over Brentford

Darwin Nunez scored twice in stoppage time as Liverpool extended their Premier League lead with a 2-0 win over Brentford, moving seven points clear at the top.

Darwin Nunez came off the bench to score a stoppage-time brace, securing a 2-0 victory for Liverpool over Brentford and sending the Reds seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table. The win marked Liverpool's 10th triumph in their last 12 meetings with Brentford.

Liverpool struggled to find their rhythm in the early stages, and they were fortunate not to concede within the first five minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard missed a gilt-edged opportunity, failing to connect with Mads Roerslev's low cross, which had found him unmarked in front of goal. The Bees continued to push forward, with Ryan Gravenberch testing Mark Flekken with a long-range effort, while Dominik Szoboszlai rattled the crossbar with a powerful strike.

Brentford maintained their pressure in the first half, with Christian Norgaard heading over from a Bryan Mbeumo free-kick. Despite their dominance, the Bees were unable to break the deadlock before the break. Liverpool's best chance of the half came when Cody Gakpo was denied by Flekken, who rushed off his line to smother the effort.

Liverpool's dominance persisted into the second half, with the team earning numerous corner kicks, but Brentford's defense continued to hold firm. The Reds created several scoring opportunities, including a low drive from Luis Diaz that forced Mark Flekken into another impressive save. Diaz was soon replaced by Darwin Nunez, who headed wide shortly after entering the game.

As the match entered its final stages, both teams began to create scoring chances. Alexis Mac Allister headed wide for Liverpool, while Alisson made crucial saves to deny Bryan Mbeumo's free-kick and a low drive from the Cameroonian. Liverpool's frustration grew, and Trent Alexander-Arnold unleashed a powerful long-range shot that whistled past the post, causing concern among the home supporters. Mohamed Salah also fired wide, but Liverpool's persistence eventually paid off.

The Darwin Nunez show 🕺#BRELIV pic.twitter.com/NnlcuucC0i

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 18, 2025

The decisive moment arrived in stoppage time, as Darwin Nunez scored from close range after being found by Alexander-Arnold. This was the second consecutive Liverpool goal to be scored by a substitute striker. Just two minutes later, Nunez struck again, applying a composed finish from Harvey Elliott's lay-off to seal the win. The victory extended Liverpool's unbeaten away run to 11 league matches. In contrast, Brentford suffered late heartbreak, having won just one of their last nine matches and none of their past five home games.