FROM GTECH COMMUNITY STADIUM – A stoppage-time double from Darwin Nunez gave Liverpool a priceless 2-0 away win at Brentford on Saturday afternoon.
The Bees had battled valiantly for a long 90 minutes, ceding possession and territory to the visitors who had 37 shots – most of them from range. Brentford had arguably enjoyed the better chances before Nunez converted two late efforts from penalty area.
The late comeback ensured Liverpool extended their lead at the Premier League summit to seven points, piling the pressure on second-placed Arsenal ahead of their clash with Aston Villa.
How the game played out
When Arne Slot came up against Brentford in his the first game at home as Liverpool manager, he thought to himself, “This is a tougher league than the Eredivisie.”
Brentford have this effect on many teams and managers. They are proudly awkward, deliberately playing the game at a different pace and able to frustrate their opponents in every third of the pitch. When Liverpool picked their way through their hosts' midfield, they were met with a mass of red and white stripes tucked comfortably around the rim and inside their box.
Mostly limited to efforts from across the D, Dominik Szoboszlai still managed to hit the crossbar with a strong effort in the first half.
It took until the 39th minute for both sides to catch the other in transition. Cody Gakpo skipped BrentfordBest effort in possession with a brilliant first-time switch, clearing a move that ended with the Dutchman hitting the post with difficulty.
Liverpool continued to press and probe, racking up a bloated number of shots which were dwarfed by Brentford's body count in the way of every effort. The stats certainly painted a picture of laughable dominance – and there's no doubt the Reds were in control of the game – but Slott's side weren't guilty of missing any outstanding chances and didn't force Mark Flekken into many heroics.
Trent Alexander-Arnold switched to the right as the clock ticked past 90 minutes, winning a lucky bounce before slotting home for Nunez to put the away side in the lead.
Liverpool's lively travelers had barely stopped dancing by the time Nunez scored the second, flicking a chipped shot over Flekken with an air of confidence that has often been lacking this season.
Check out Brentford v Liverpool player ratings here.
Unlike Liverpool's other replacements, Nunez's arrival was not greeted with sarcastic barks of “Who?” The disruptive forward was met with a powerful burst from all three corners of the ground, drawing unflattering comparisons with old Liverpool man Andy Carroll. Within seconds of his arrival, Nunez fired straight away with a header his predecessor may have done much better.
However, when Nunez raced towards the end, shirt thrown in a wave of euphoria, those traveling fans reminded their Brentford counterparts exactly what was being sung. Perhaps there is something to be compared with the Geordie striker dismissing Nunez as Uruguay grabbed a late winner against Nottingham Forest after hearing the same taunts from the crowd.
Nunez's heroics were called for after a woeful anonymous display from Luis Diaz.
The Colombian led the line on Saturday, but he wasn't himself. Flying around the field like an indecisive hummingbird, Diaz had not shaken off the illness that has hampered him this week.
Virgil van Dijk has spent the vast majority of Liverpool's recent games wearing a permanent expression of exasperation. Having overseen just one clean sheet in their last seven top-flight games, the Dutch defender was once again a quiet sight.
Much of the focus will be on Liverpool's shot count, but the hosts were hampered for much of the game. The Reds were particularly impressive in transition, running towards their goal faster and harder than Brentford's forwards. As Slot has pointed out on numerous occasions this term, the secret to Liverpool's defensive resolve is simple: work rate.
However, it was a Brentford striker who troubled the Reds. Bryan Mbeumo didn't find the net but easily kept out the Bees' clearest threat. The Cameroon international even had more shots (four) than Mohamed Salah (three) – a figure he could end up replacing if the Egyptian does not extend his deal at Anfield.
Thomas Frank was quick to give his answer to those wondering if Mbeumo could be on the move this month: “No!” The Dane said this week: “That's too easy to answer—not a chance! It would have to be so big I can't imagine the size of the fee.”
This fee may not be as astronomical during the summer.
Mbeumo fits the transfer model that worked so well for Michael Edwards during his first spell at the club; a talented player who has proven his worth in the Premier League for a club outside the elite. Diogo Jota (Wolves), Andy Robertson (Hull), Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane (Southampton) – could Mbeumo be next?