Darwin Nunez proved Liverpool's late hero as his stoppage-time double fired the Premier League leaders to a 2-0 victory away at Brentford.

Arne Slot's side seemed destined to make it three league matches without a win in 2025, having seen Dominik Szoboszlai denied by the woodwork and Cody Gakpo miss a glorious chance in the first half.

Mohamed Salah then went close with just minutes remaining at the Gtech Community Stadium, but substitute Nunez made no mistake with his late brace in the dying stages.

The Uruguayan striker first converted from Trent Alexander-Arnold's smart cutback pass in the 91st minute, before hammering home from Harvey Elliott's offload just two minutes later.

The win moved Liverpool seven points clear of second-place Arsenal, who host Aston Villa later on Saturday, while Brentford remain 11th after suffering late heartbreak.

How the match unfolded

Brentford almost made a rapid start just five minutes in. The unmarked Mikkel Damsgaard could not make the required contact, however, after Yoane Wissa’s slight deflection on Mads Roerslev's dangerous delivery.

Szoboszlai rattled the crossbar when driving a 20-yard attempt towards the top-left corner, while Gakpo dragged a brilliant opportunity wide from Salah's delightful right-sided offload six minutes before the break.

Gakpo turned creator for Salah after the interval, though the Egyptian saw his placed attempt blocked by Keane Lewis-Potter before Nathan Collins headed clear on the line.

Salah went close when his 89th-minute curler from the edge of the D narrowly evaded Mark Flekken's bottom-right corner, though Slot's side would soon be saved by Nunez.

Alexander-Arnold's driving run teed up the late first when his pull back from the right found Nunez, who converted from close range – he repeated the dose soon after when combining with Elliott and thumping past Flekken.

Battling Brentford undone late on

Brentford rarely looked like a side that had managed just one win across their previous eight matches in all competitions – in fact, Thomas Frank's side shaded the opening stages on Saturday.

Bryan Mbeumo was the chief tormentor of Liverpool, forcing an early caution for Kostas Tsimikas just minutes after his inside run freed Roerslev, whose delightful delivery should have ended with Damsgaard tapping home at the back post.

Brentford star Mbeumo again had the beating of Tsimikas, twice testing the hands of Alisson in the opening 20 minutes, before the forward's wide free-kick was glanced over by Christian Norgaard.

Another Mbeumo free-kick with 20 minutes remaining had Alisson scrambling to parry the cross before the Liverpool goalkeeper denied the Cameroonian's tame strike and a routine header in the closing stages.

Yet, for all of Brentford's promise in attack from Mbeumo and Wissa, they were undone late on by Nunez's deadly finishing as the league leaders finally found the quality that has them in control of the title race.

Having managed to come back in the closing stages in the midweek draw with Manchester City, a reverse outcome here will leave Frank desperate for a result when his side travel to Crystal Palace in eight days' time.

Liverpool overcome stuttering start to 2025

Liverpool remain the frontrunners in the title race but Slot may have been scratching his head after another performance lacking the decisive edge for large parts.

Gakpo headed straight at Flekken early on after an inviting cross from Luis Diaz, who made a mess of his header from Ibrahima Konate's lob shortly after.

Flekken tipped another deflected effort from Ryan Gravenberch wide before Szoboszlai saw one low strike saved and another from outside the area crash off the woodwork.

A rapid counter-attack kick-started by Szoboszlai should have allowed Gakpo to convert Salah's well-timed pass into the box, though the Dutchman wasted a left-footed opening by touching wide of the onrushing Flekken.

Diaz's fizzing shot was then pushed away once more in the second half by Flekken – who survived penalty appeals after contesting for the loose ball.

It looked like a frustrating outing when Nunez headed another chance wide, and Alexander-Arnold fired a late long-ranger off target before Salah's delicate finish just missed the bottom corner after cutting inside.

Yet Nunez found his shooting boots, scoring in the league for the first time since September, to get Liverpool out of trouble. Despite their late show, Slot will still be demanding improvements when his side host struggling Ipswich Town next time out in the league at Anfield.