In another era, in another kind of football, Darwin Núñez might be the type of unconventional striker who would be a cult hero at a smaller club, but at Liverpool in 2025, when the margins are so tight at the top of the Premier League and every player must earn his place, he can often feel like a man on the edge of things.

This time, it was the 91st minute, and Liverpool’s 36th attempt of the afternoon on the Brentford goal that fell to Núñez’s feet. A substitute coming into a team that started without an orthodox No 9, Núñez had just two Premier League goals all season as the clock ticked down past 90 minutes. By the final whistle he had doubled that total with two goals which won the game for Liverpool and may have changed the course of the title race. These are the afternoons that signpost the way for title-winning teams and this one belonged to Núñez.

He had been on the pitch almost half an hour by then – and Arne Slot had played all his cards. Not just Núñez, but Harvey Elliott, and even Federico Chiesa were called off the bench to try to win this game. Some other angle of attack was required, some fresh trajectory that might break what had been a determined effort by the home side to keep Liverpool out. Slot’s players had clipped the bar, they had run through 13 corners without success, they had landed six shots on target. What they needed was a moment to decide it all – and that was what Núñez would provide.

The Uruguay international did not start despite the absence of Diogo Jota through injury, with Slot preferring Luis Díaz in the central striker role. The Liverpool manager had previously complained of the difficulty that Núñez, with nine goals in 11 months for Liverpool before this game, felt playing against the low block. After this match-winning performance, Slot said that Núñez’s season had been perfectly decent despite the lack of goals. The Liverpool manager asked that performance be judged independent of results – and that the 37 attempts on Brentford’s goal would be unprecedented for an away side in this stadium this season.

Even so it needed a man to bury one of them and the early signs were not great. Núñez, on for Díaz after 65 minutes, had a sight of goal which he skied extravagantly. Trent Alexander-Arnold did not try to hide his feelings of frustration.

Liverpool had pushed up further and further, risking that Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté could go mano-a-mano against Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. Brentford were, Slot observed, more dangerous than Nottingham Forest had been on the counter-attack on Tuesday. Two successive draws preceded this game and Liverpool desperately needed the win – although it was not Núñez alone who made the difference.

Elliott has had just seven Premier League appearances this season and many is the time when he has been an unused substitute. It was his nudge down the right channel that gave Alexander-Arnold the space via a deflection to find Núñez for the first goal. Then the chaos that followed, it was Elliott’s pass to Núñez at the end of a counter-attack that created the second goal. “There was a lot of focus [post-match] on Darwin because he scored two goals,” Slot said, “and every time I have said, ‘Yeah don’t forget Harvey. He had a big impact on the two goals’. It is so nice for me and us as a team that I have players who can impact the game from the bench.”

Slot encouraged all present to consider the expected goals metric for his team’s draws against Manchester United and, most recently Forest, which he said showed that it was not the performance that had changed. Even so, they did need a finisher and with Mohamed Salah having one of his less impactful days and Díaz likewise this was Núñez’s moment. None of it means that the Uruguayan will yet be able to parlay this into a starting position when the likes of Jota return. Núñez still has much to do and the offer from the Saudi Pro League this month evidently materialised because someone thought it had a chance.

Thomas Frank, whose side had drawn 2-2 with Manchester City on Tuesday, said that he felt Liverpool were the best team Brentford had faced this season. “We competed well, defended well, and gave very few big chances away,” he said. “I don’t think 0-0 would have been an unfair result. They had more of the ball and more opportunities, but they had some luck with the goal.”

In the first half in particular, Mbeumo ran Kostas Tsimikas a couple of times. On the other side, Keane Lewis-Potter tried to go at Alexander-Arnold. In the fifth minute, Mikkel Damsgaard had what Frank said was his side’s best chance when Mbeumo’s cross was just beyond the Dane. But it is the depth of the squads that told in the end. Liverpool could bring a match-winner off the bench and Brentford, for all their opportunism, had by then asked a lot of Mbeumo and Wissa.

Yet Slot was adamant that even if it had not been for Núñez’s late intervention this would still have been an excellent performance. “Only one counter-attack conceded and so many chances created against a team that hardly ever concedes any chance at all,” he said. “Brentford has never faced this season, I am 99.9 per cent sure, 37 shots in a game. What more can I ask of my players?”

05:15 PM GMT

Thanks for following

It took a while to get going but the three 3pm kick-offs did not disappoint in the end. All three away sides secured wins and all the action involved London sides with Crystal Palace dominating proceedings West Ham at London Stadium, Fulham putting Leicester to the sword at King Power and Liverpool leaving it till late to see off Brentford in stoppage time.

Another London side are in action at 5:30. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal take on Aston Villa and you can follow the action here.

05:08 PM GMT

Incredible Nunez double sees Liverpool return to winning ways

05:05 PM GMT

Mateta is that guy for Palace

04:57 PM GMT

Full-time scores...

Brentford 0 Liverpool 2

Leicester City 0 Fulham 2

West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 2

That’s good away team symmetry!

04:55 PM GMT

One of those days for Nunez

Nunez has one of these days once every seven matches... and how Liverpool  have needed this to be such a day. The subs have done the business for Slot again. Elliott and Chiesa were involved in both goals for Nunez.

04:54 PM GMT

Nunez booked but he won’t care

Nunez receives a yellow card for his excessive celebrations after his late brace for Liverpool!

04:51 PM GMT

Liverpool take the lead against Brentford!!!

If Liverpool win this game now and win the title, Nunez’s goal will be remembered...

04:48 PM GMT

Palace score again through a penalty!!!

Mateta doubles his tally and Crystal Palace’s lead from the penalty spot after Eddie Nketiah was brought down in the box by West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

04:45 PM GMT

Alexander-Arnold with Liverpool’s 34th attempt on goal

Trent Alexander-Arnold drive just wide was Liverpool’s 34th attempt on goal for the game. Still no goals.

04:39 PM GMT

Mavropanos sees red for West Ham

Things go from bad to worse for West Ham as defender Konstantinos

Mavropanos is sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a bad tackle!

04:38 PM GMT

Elliott comes on for Liverpool

Slot was praised for his subs in midweek. Introducing Nunez for Diaz here may be a leap of faith. Harvey Elliott is coming on next, but Brentford are looking more dangerous on the counter attack. Which idiot said this definitely won’t finish 0-0 seventy minutes ago?

04:36 PM GMT

Traore receives a pat on the back from Castagne

04:32 PM GMT

Liverpool putting Brentford under pressure in the closing stages

04:29 PM GMT

Fulham score again!!!

Adama Traore puts the visitors 2-0 up with a right-footed shot from a cross from the right from Wilson.

Leicester’s miserable winless runs looks set to go on.

04:26 PM GMT

Potter makes a triple substitution

Scarles on for Cresswell; Orford on for Emerson; and Ings on Lucas Paqueta. Will they make a difference?

04:19 PM GMT

Slot will be tempted to change things soon

Liverpool have risen the tempo at the start of the second half, but Mark Flekken is being well protected. Brentford’s centre-backs are playing like Nottingham Forest’s in midweek. Slot will be tempted to make a change upfront soon. Is it Chiesa time?

04:17 PM GMT

Fulham’s goalscorer Smith Rowe

04:15 PM GMT

Mateta celebrates putting Crystal Palace in front!

04:09 PM GMT

Fulham take the lead against Leicester

Emile Smith Rowe bravely stoops low to head in from close range through a Sasa Lukic assist.

04:07 PM GMT

Goal for Palace!

Jean-Philippe Mateta opens the scoring at the London Stadium as the striker puts Palace 1-0 ahead with a right-footed effort!

03:54 PM GMT

Brentford have picked their battles well

Half-time. Feels like Brentford have picked their battles well. Bryan Mbeumo bested Kostas Tsimikas a couple of times, Keane Lewis-Potter has run at Trent Alexander-Arnold. For all that, Liverpool have had lots of the ball and not created many good chances. The Premier League leaders are the more likely to push on and win but you never know with Brentford. Very resourceful at home. Will be interesting to see how Arne Slot changes it – if he feels he needs to do so.

03:50 PM GMT

Half-time scores...

Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Leicester City 0 Fulham 0

West Ham 0 Crystal Palace 0

Things can only get better in the second half, surely!

03:43 PM GMT

Liverpool missing killer instinct

Liverpool just put together the move of the match from one penalty area to the other, only for Gakpo to fluff the finish. It’s the story of the half. Liverpool good up to a point, but the killer instinct is missing. For now.

03:38 PM GMT

Szoboszlai hits the crossbar from 20 yards!

Szoboszlai has come to life in the last five minutes, close on three occasions including rattling the crossbar from 20 yards. Midfield creativity is the way forward for the away side here.

03:34 PM GMT

Even-stevens at the London Stadium

Crystal Palace are edging possession (53% to 46%) but are having a frustrating time playing against West Ham’s low block. Graham Potter will be pleased with what he’s seen so far from his side.

03:29 PM GMT

Gravenberch sees his shot blocked

03:25 PM GMT

Konate tries his luck from distance

Alexa, what is the height of optimism? Answer… Ibrahima Konate trying to score with a 25 yard shot. Not unlike against Forest, Liverpool have control of the ball but are looking for a cutting edge so far.

03:22 PM GMT

Fulham dominating in the early stages at the King Power

03:14 PM GMT

Brentford-Liverpool will not finish 0-0

Mbuemo causing issues for Liverpool’s defence already. Tsimikas has been booked for a shirt tug, and Van Dijk was forced into a recovery after being tricked by the Brentford attacker. Good flow to the game. Early prediction. It will not finish 0-0.

03:11 PM GMT

Thomas Tuchel is watching West Ham-Crystal Palace

03:07 PM GMT

Brentford squirm early chance

Mikkel Damsgaard misses great opportunity to put the home side ahead after Liverpool’s confident start.

03:04 PM GMT

Leicester make a fast start

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side win an early corner that eventually comes to nothing.

03:02 PM GMT

Brentford to attack Tsimikas

Thomas Frank’s gameplan is no mystery. He will be attacking Liverpool’s left back. He will be attacking Liverpool’s right back. Defensively, at least, these are the area where Slot’s side have looked vulnerable, albeit they kick-off here having still lost only two games this season. Kostas Tsimikas is favoured over Andy Robertson today. If the Greek performs well he could get a prolonged run in the team.

02:43 PM GMT

Incredible result for Bournemouth away at Newcastle!

Justin Kluivert scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bournemouth thrashed Newcastle 4-1 at St James’ Park.

Read all about it here.

02:38 PM GMT

Wan-Bissaka and Kudus both start for West Ham

02:34 PM GMT

Will the Premier League’s top scorer add to his tally this afternoon?

02:22 PM GMT

Leicester City vs Fulham team details

Leicester City XI Stolarczyk, Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen, Winks, Soumare, Ayew, El Khannous, Mavididi, Vardy.

Subs Iversen, Coady, Okoli, De Cordova-Reid, Daka, Skipp, Thomas, McAteer, Buonanotte.

Fulham XI Leno, Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Lukic, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Iwobi, Jimenez.

Subs Benda, Reed, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Traore, Andreas Pereira, King, Sessegnon, Diop.

Referee Michael Salisbury (Lancashire).

02:20 PM GMT

Fulham team news

02:19 PM GMT

Leicester team news

02:18 PM GMT

Jota misses out

As Arne Slot hinted on Friday, Diogo Jota is not fit enough to make today’s Liverpool squad. There are worrying echoes of last season when Liverpool could not rely on Jota’s fitness when goals from others dried up. Luis Diaz is not a natural number nine, although Liverpool’s best performances this season have been with a front trio of Gakpo-Diaz-Salah.

02:16 PM GMT

Brentford vs Liverpool team details

Brentford XI Flekken, Roerslev, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter, Janelt, Norgaard, Yarmolyuk, Damsgaard, Mbeumo, Wissa.

Subs Valdimarsson, Henry, Schade, Jensen, Carvalho, Mee, Konak, Maghoma, Kim.

Liverpool XI Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Diaz.

Subs Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Quansah, Bradley.

Referee Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire).

02:12 PM GMT

Liverpool team news

02:12 PM GMT

Brentford team news

02:11 PM GMT

West Ham v Crystal Palace teams

West Ham United XI Fabianski, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Cresswell, Alvarez, Lucas Paqueta, Rodriguez, Soucek, Emerson Palmieri, Kudus.

Subs Areola, Soler, Coufal, Luis Guilherme, Ings, Irving, Casey, Scarles, Orford.

Crystal Palace XI Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Munoz, Kamada, Hughes, Mitchell, Sarr, Eze, Mateta.

Subs Turner, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Doucoure, Riad, Rodney, Devenny, Kporha.

Referee Thomas Bramall (Sheffield).

02:09 PM GMT

Crystal Palace team news

02:05 PM GMT

West Ham team news

02:02 PM GMT

Afternoon all

Afternoon all. There are three 3pm kick-offs today that will be keeping us busy.

Brentford, currently sitting in 11th place in the Premier League table, welcome leaders Liverpool to the Gtech Community Stadium. Thomas Frank’s side lost the reverse fixture 2-0 but are unbeaten in their last three games across all competitions. Brentford came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with champions Manchester City last time out so confidence will be high.

Liverpool have a four-point lead at the top of the table and a game in hand over their rivals, but are yet to register a win in the league in 2025 following draws with Manchester United and high-flying Nottingham Forest more recently. Arne Slot are surely due.

Strugglers Leicester, who have lost their last six league games, host Fulham. Ruud van Nistelrooy lost to Crystal Palace in midweek and will be looking for a reaction and may include new signing Woyo Coulibaly in his squad. The defender has signed a four-and-a-half year deal from Parma.

Fulham were among the league’s form sides before their defeat at the hands of West Ham at the London Stadium but you expect the side from west London to bounce back. Marco Silva’s side have scored in each of their last nine games on the road which is their longest away scoring streak in the competition.

And finally, we have a London derby as West Ham play host to Crystal Palace. As previously mentioned, West Ham saw off Fulham in their last game and are aiming for back-to-back wins in the league for the first time this season. Graham Potter will be hoping the so-called “new manager bounce” continues this afternoon.

Crystal Palace have won three and drawn three of their last six away games this season which is their best run in the Premier League since 1992. Oliver Glasner’s side, who saw Trevoh Chalobah return to Chelsea, will be hoping Ismaila Sarr carries on his wonderful goalscoring form – the forward has been involved in five goals in his last six league appearances.