It hasn't quite been the January Arne Slot and his Liverpool team were hoping for - leaving a crack in the door for their Premier League title rivals.

Darwin Nunez softened the blow for Liverpool with an added-time double against a resolute Brentford after being held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest earlier in the week.

Liverpool headed into the trip to Brentford four points clear at the top of the league and holding a game in hand over second-place Arsenal. Kostas Tsimikas was called on to provide a counter to Brentford's breaking speed. However, the defender found himself walking the tightrope early on in the second half, receiving the first booking of the half.

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The Reds' shooting boots may have also been left in Merseyside until Nunez's arrival. Slot's men rattled off 30 shots in 90 minutes and failed to convert any of them despite clear chances from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai also rattled the crossbar.

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Mohamed Salah's contract situation continues to rumble on, and the Egyptian superstar was largely anonymous this afternoon. He played some good passes into teammates, but as for goal-scoring opportunities for himself, he struggled to find the space to execute.

Nunez was the man who broke the deadlock in the end after Liverpool had left it late. Staring back-to-back draws in the face, Nunez fired off two goals to send the traveling away fans wild. However, Slot and Co. have a lot of work to do, with Arsenal hot on their heels.

The problem at left-back

Liverpool may be at the top of the Premier League, and losing games are far and few between, but there's an apparent problem in the defense, and signing a left-back in the summer should be a top priority. Andy Robertson has been a loyal and effective servant for the Reds, but Father Time has caught up with him, and his backup, Kostas Tsimikas, has failed to pull up trees since his arrival.

The Reds have been linked with Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, a 21-year-old Hungarian international. Kerkez offers impressive output defensively and offensively. Being a team-mate of Reds star Szoboszlai, the defender could also play in Liverpool's favor.

However, Kerkez won't be cheap. The Cherries will rightly command a fee for their rising superstar, and then it's up to Liverpool to decide whether it's worth the long-term investment.

Shooting boots left at home

Liverpool managed 19 shots in the first half and cleared 30 before the full-time whistle blew at the G-Tech. The Reds have struggled to find a consistent goal-scorer outside of Salah, with Diaz, Gakpo, and Darwin Nunez being hit-and-miss.

They may be clear at the top, but a lack of end product could cost them in their bid to win the Premier League. They got there in the end, but they might not be so fortunate in the future.

Keeping Konate fit could be the key

Ibrahima Konate was a man mountain for the Reds. The speed of Brentford's attack, coupled with a high Liverpool line, put Slot's men under considerable pressure in both halves, which Konate dealt with well.

Konate has had his fair share of injuries in his Liverpool career, but his impact is clear when fit.

Show Nunez some love

Darwin Nunez is one of those players who thrive in chaos. This afternoon was one of those but with a happy ending. He was jeered by Brentford fans when he came on, but he quickly shut them up with a quickfire double in added time.

Nunez is often criticized for his end product, but he found it at the right time. The Liverpool fans showered him with love, and he rightly deserved it.