Virgil van Dijk says what he's always spotted about Darwin Nunez after he rides to Liverpool rescue at Brentford

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Darwin Nunez got his crowning moment as he scored a late double to spearhead Liverpool to a 2-0 win against Brentford in the Premier League.

The Reds looked like they were headed towards another draw, but Nunez came off the bench to score two goals in stoppage time to send Liverpool seven points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table.

A lot has been said about Nunez’s form this season and rightly so as he has failed to produce the goods consistently this season.

However, he silenced his critics in some style away from home to give Liverpool three priceless points in the Premier League title race.

And Virgil van Dijk singled out Nunez for special praise after the game, mentioning a quality he noticed about the striker when he joined the club.

Virgil van Dijk hails Darwin Nunez’s energy after Liverpool heroics

Nunez was suspended for Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest and only found a place on the bench against Brentford.

Despite Diogo Jota’s injury absence, Luis Diaz was chosen to lead the line over Nunez, with the Colombian playing as a center-forward for Liverpool a handful of times in recent weeks.

And while Diaz didn’t set the world alight against Brentford, Nunez came off the bench and scored two quick-fire goals to save the day for Liverpool.

“Darwin since the day he came in he brings a lot of energy,” said Van Dijk to BBC after the game.

“As a striker, you’re judged by your goals. Maybe it’s tougher than ever. He’s working hard and learning. Today he had a massive part of the victory. It was well deserved.

“Today was a small piece of the puzzle. We have to keep going.””You have to earn these things.

“As a striker you get judged on goals, especially at a club like Liverpool. Today he put his mark on the game. Very important. We need everyone at their best. Today was his day.”

Nunez playing for his Liverpool future

Liverpool are considering Nunez’s future at the club after his underwhelming displays at the start of the season.

Since joining the club from Benfica in the summer of 2022, the Uruguayan has failed to produce the goods regularly despite showing flashes of his brilliance and that trend seems to be continuing under Slot.

However, his two goals against Brentford could well prove to be priceless in the Premier League title race, and Nunez should use his most recent display as a spring in his step to fare better in the coming months.

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