'Moments like this win titles' - Liverpool are 'level above their rivals' - Voice of Asia

Has Liverpool established a decisive advantage in the title race? Just as doubts began to surface about the Reds' ability to win the Premier League, the often-criticized Darwin Núñez responded emphatically with a brace in a 2-0 away victory against Brentford. This was particularly significant as title rivals Arsenal squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home against Aston Villa just hours later, leaving Arne Slot's team six points clear of the second-placed Gunners with a game in hand.

"Arne Slot said this week he couldn't get Darwin Núñez to perform. That goal is massive for Liverpool," said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live. "He's not going to miss those. This is how you win titles. You stick in there, you fight to the end, and you take your chances." After consecutive draws against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, the away fixture against Brentford, who boasted the third-best home record, was considered a litmus test for Liverpool's title credentials.

Liverpool launched a relentless assault on Brentford, registering 37 shots and dominating the game. It wasn't until the 91st minute that substitute Núñez broke the deadlock with a close-range finish. Two minutes later, the Uruguayan striker added another to secure the victory. Brentford's last three home Premier League games this month have been against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool. They lost 1-3 to Arsenal, drew 2-2 with Manchester City after being two goals down, and ultimately lost to Liverpool in the final moments.

Brentford manager Thomas Frank told BBC Sport: "We played against Man City, Arsenal and now Liverpool in a short space of time. In my opinion, they are a step above the other two. They are very complete, the work ethic and the way they defend is a good indicator. They were excellent throughout the game and very dangerous in attack. They are the best team in the Premier League, maybe the world, and the big favorites to win it.” Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said on BBC's Match of the Day: “They played like a team with a point to prove. If people thought Liverpool were fading, that has been blown out of the water.” Former Wales center-back Ashley Williams added: “Liverpool have the strongest squad now and I think they will win the league. They also have their eyes on the Champions League and if they win that as well we can say they are the best team in the world.”

Liverpool started strongly in August to emerge as genuine title contenders, but their momentum had slowed in recent weeks. Slot's team dropped nine points in their first 18 games, losing one and drawing three, but then lost four more in the two games before facing Brentford. As Liverpool's away game in London entered the 90th minute, it looked like they were set to drop two more points. However, they showed spirit and resilience to get the job done. Arsenal failed to keep pace later in the day, squandering a two-goal lead against Aston Villa in a dramatic eight-minute spell in the second half. "Liverpool scored two goals in injury time and Arsenal did that, it's a massive turnaround. If Liverpool don't win the league now, I'd be shocked," said former Gunner Paul Merson on Sky Sports.

Liverpool's late victory may prove to be the key to winning a major prize in Slot's first season in charge. Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: "It's a big day in the title race, Liverpool's advantage has been extended further - the faces of the Arsenal fans were telling." Arsenal were cruising at 55 minutes, with Kai Havertz celebrating their second goal after Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring. But just 13 minutes later, Villa had leveled thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins. The Gunners rallied and thought they had snatched a late winner with three minutes to go when Mikel Merino's shot went in off Havertz, but it was ruled out for handball after a VAR check.

Arsenal have now dropped 12 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season, their most in a single campaign since 2019-20 (21 points). "We were incredible. I'm so proud of the way we played, the dominance, the fluency and the effort we put in," manager Mikel Arteta told BBC Sport. "We played three games in six days. I'm proud of them but at the same time very disappointed. We deserved much more. We didn't get it and we are sad for that.” He continued, "There are moments where it's clear they (Liverpool) manage to do it (win). They made changes, the subs had an impact and changed the game. On our side it was the opposite, even after being very close to scoring two goals. The danger is that I know that half of the team might go down because we are physically drained."

Newcastle and Nottingham Forest have also been considered as potential title rivals to Liverpool in recent weeks. But the Magpies lost 1-4 at home to Bournemouth earlier in the day and are fourth, 12 points behind, while third-placed Nottingham Forest are nine points behind after hosting bottom-of-the-table Southampton on Sunday. "I had my doubts" - but the players proved Slot "wrong" again. Former manager Jurgen Klopp vastly improved Liverpool's fortunes in his nine years in charge, leading the club to their first Premier League title in 2019-20, which meant Slot had a big job on his hands when he arrived in the summer. But the Dutchman hasn't faltered, and the Merseyside team looks well-placed to claim their 20th top-flight title, equalling Manchester United's record.

Despite being consistent for much of the season, Slot questioned whether his team would find a way to win against Brentford after failing to find a winning formula in recent weeks. "Of course, I had my doubts," he said. "We missed a lot of chances in recent weeks. If I felt after missing all of them today we would score in the last five minutes, that would be amazing. The players proved me wrong again. Brentford had never faced 37 shots in a game this season, so what more can I ask of my players? They gave everything they had."

"Energy and power - it's great to have someone like Darwin." Mohamed Salah has once again been the talisman for Liverpool this season, with the Egyptian scoring 18 goals in the league and 21 in all competitions. Liverpool's recent dip in form has coincided with his failure to score - he has not found the net in his last three games. But Núñez proved to be an unlikely hero. The 25-year-old joined Liverpool from Benfica in June 2022 for £64m, having scored 34 goals in 41 appearances for the Portuguese club the previous season. Núñez scored nine Premier League goals in his first season and 11 in 2023-24. He had only two goals this season before his decisive double against Brentford.

The Uruguayan forward has made 16 league appearances for Liverpool this season, but only seven of those have been starts, and he is fast becoming Slot's impact player. "When he comes on, he always makes a big impact, he brings energy and power," Slot told BBC Sport. "Most of our games are in the last half hour around the 18-yard box, and that is where he is at his best. The first hour is usually open, but the last 30 minutes is dominant - then it's great to have someone like Darwin."