“You have to earn these things” - Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk sends message to Darwin Nunez after forward seals late win at Brentford

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has sent a message to Darwin Nunez after the Uruguayan striker's late brace sealed the Reds' 2-0 win over Brentford. The Reds visited the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday (January 18), where Brentford held them off for long periods of the game.

Darwin Nunez, who was subbed on in the 65th minute, opened the scoring for Liverpool in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Trent Alexander-Arnold found the 25-year-old striker in the six-yard area with a low cross, and Nunez powered it into the net.

Brentford pushed players forward to find the equalizer, but Nunez punished them again, finishing off a counter-attack two minutes later.

After the game, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk spoke about the striker, admitting that it was Nunez's day (via the club's website):

“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.”

Darwin Nunez has struggled to find the net this season. Prior to the Brentford game, he had scored just two Premier League goals. However, the 25-year-old has silenced his doubters with an impressive brace to seal all three points for the Reds.

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Virgil van Dijk shares his thoughts on Liverpool's win over Brentford

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has shared his thoughts on the Reds' win over Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. Despite the Reds controlling much of the ball (62% possession) and creating numerous openings, they struggled to find the opener.

They took 37 shots at goal with just eight being on target. The Bees were more clinical, with six shots on target from 11 shots on goal. Van Dijk discussed how difficult it was to beat Brentford (via the club's website):

"They [Brentford] have a very clear structure. You try to break a low block down and if you lose the ball sometimes you can get a counter-attack on you. They create some danger moments [and] they create them against any team in the league. We handled it well and could have scored more."

“There is no walk in the park. Every game, teams are very good. They want to play their best game against us like we want to play our best game against them. If nobody is ready for a bumpy ride then this season will definitely be one.”

Liverpool have consolidated their position at the top of the table. With 50 points from 21 games, they have a six-point gap ahead of second-placed Arsenal, who drew their game against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.