Darwin Nunez has told Liverpool fans he will “never throw in the towel” after his late brace secured a vital 2-0 win over Brentford.
After Diogo Jota’s goal from the bench earned a point at Nottingham Forest in midweek, it was the under-fire Nunez who gave Liverpool coach Arne Slot the spark he was looking for in west London.
Liverpool bombarded Brentford’s goal in a pulsating game, firing a total of 37 away shots – the hosts had 11 shots of their own, including six on target – but had to wait until stoppage time for Nunez to break the deadlock and sweep Trent Alexander-Arnold’s halfway line into the goal.
As Brentford pushed for an equaliser, Nunez took advantage of his second goal, providing Harvey Elliott with an assist. His heroics sparked scenes of unbridled joy not only in the away game but also among Liverpool’s coaching staff.
Slot acknowledged ahead of the game that Liverpool had failed to get the best out of Nunez this season – suggesting the 25-year-old’s strengths had not been capitalized on – but he made his desire clear to improve after the game while increasing his commitment to the Reds – links to Saudi Arabia and Manchester United have emerged in recent days.
“I think you have to stay mentally strong and never give up. Yes, there are moments that are very difficult for us players, for me especially now,” said Nunez Sky Sports.
“But I never give in the towel. I keep working. If I need to stay in training and practice more, I stay to improve. I think that the work I do on the pitch is also to help the team defend. “I think I’ve always done well, but I haven’t scored any goals and I know that People pay attention. The striker has to score goals.
“The truth is that I am going through a difficult period and, as I said, I remain focused on my job and giving everything for Liverpool,” he continued. “I think it’s important to keep your head up and I always say that I have to work because I have to improve. I stay strong with this mentality and with the support of my family and fans, which are incredible.”
Liverpool’s win, along with Arsenal’s late-game slip-up against Aston Villa on Saturday, restored the club’s six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table, with the Reds still having one more game in hand following the postponement of the Merseyside derby in December.