A contender for bet of the year emerged on Saturday night after Darwin Nunez scored a late brace for Liverpool in their dramatic 2-0 win over Brentford.
Darwin Nunez, who has been the subject of transfer rumors linking him to a big-money move to Saudi Arabia this week, scored two injury-time goals to help Arne Slot’s side extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points.
The 25-year-old forward made a significant impact after coming on for Luis Diaz in the 65th minute, with Slot praising his “energy and power” in securing a crucial victory for Liverpool. “Most of our games are decided in the last half hour, around 18 yards, and that’s where he [Nunez] is at his best,” said the Liverpool manager. “The first hour is often open, but the last 30 minutes are dominant. Having someone like Darwin is a great asset.”
Following Nunez’s dramatic finish at the Gtech, X user @Dutton_1986 shared a screenshot of his betting slip for the match. He had placed a £10 wager on Nunez not only to be booked but also to score two or more goals, with odds of 180/1. The bet paid off handsomely, returning £1,810. Additionally, the punter earned £520 from a £20 bet on Nunez to score anytime and receive a booking.
Social media users reacted with excitement. One said, “That’s some magic that mate,” while another added, “Unbelievable shout that well in.” A third remarked, “Had the same yesterday but with Amad. Bloke scores a hat-trick and never took his shirt off.” Others commented on the wild celebration, with one saying, “Must’ve went absolutely mental when he took his shirt off for the celebration hahaha fairs,” and another calling it “insane. Fair play.”
After the match, Slot reflected on the importance of the win. “If we hadn’t scored today, the headlines would’ve been ‘Liverpool drop points – AGAIN,’” he said.
“No one would have told you we had 37 shots. What a display! How many teams can say they had 37 shots against Brentford? And now, because we scored two, the focus will shift to that,” Slot said.
He went on to acknowledge the nature of the industry, saying, “But this is the industry we work in. We all accept and understand that there’s a lot of focus when things don’t go well, and not as much when you give a great performance. It’s all about winning and losing, not whether you play beautiful football.”
Slot also remarked, “People only appreciate beautiful football if you win. If you don’t win, the focus is never on the performance.”
