Liverpool manager Arne Slot conceded Darwin Nunez was 'lucky' to escape a red card just seconds after his late goal heroics against Brentford.
The Uruguayan answered his doubters in fine style by coming off the bench to secure a huge three points for the Reds - but then was almost inexplicably sent off shortly before the full-time whistle.
Nunez made quite the impression with a match-winning stoppage-time double to give Arne Slot's side a 2-0 victory over the Bees in a game that looked destined to end in a 0-0 draw.
Following his similar late heroics against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest last season, no player in the Premier League's 33-year history has scored more 90th-minute winners away from home than Nunez's three.
But it was a moment of madness just seconds later that left 90mins duo Adrian Durham and Troy Deeney flabbergasted - and left his manager breathing a big sigh of relief
Speaking on GameDay Live, Durham said: "He's already been booked, Darwin Nunez, for taking his shirt off to celebrate the first goal, and now he's just gone flying into a challenge on Nathan Collins who felt the force of that. That's a second booking, isn't it?"
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Deeney replied: "It definitely is. The referee looked after him once because he did go back into the fans after the second goal.
"We've just had a lovely view of Arne Slot who winced because he should have been sent off.
"He went into the crowd after his second goal. So it should've been three yellow cards. All day it's a sending-off. It totally encapsulates him."
Durham continued: "The referee bottled it. It's clearly a second yellow.
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"The referee sort of put his fingers together to say that it's close to being another yellow card - no, it is another yellow card.
"What a sub appearance that would have been - two goals and a red card!"
To which Deeney replied: "That's why he's not got one, because it's the last action. The game's already over."
Even Slot admitted he would not have complained had Nunez been given his marching orders.
Speaking to 90mins's chief football correspondent Alex Crook, the Liverpool manager said after the game: "It would have been realistic if that was a yellow... I couldn't have complained if he got a second yellow for this foul.
"It wouldn’t have had any impact in this game, it was at 2-0, but it would definitely have made an impact on the next one, because Jota was not available today. Let’s hope he is for the next one, but then Darwin would also not have been available too [if he was sent off].
"So we were a bit lucky in this situation, but being lucky once in a while is nice.”
Despite his near-miss with a potential sending off, Nunez's goals proved to be the difference for Liverpool and sent them seven points clear at the top of the table as the whistle blew in their game.
Just the fifth and sixth goal the 25-year-old has scored this term, Nunez has attracted plenty of criticism but received praise from ex-Watford striker Deeney, who threw his support behind his fellow frontman.
Speaking on 90mins, Deeney said: "Darwin Nunez, you have been the butt of a lot of jokes this season.
"It just shows what a goal can do.
"Darwin, I believe in you, sir. Don't worry about anyone else."
Those goals could also go a long way to earning a more regular spot under Liverpool boss Slot, following the Dutchman's comments about the striker this week.
Ahead of the Brentford game, Slot said: "Darwin is a striker we have to use in a certain way and we were not able yet to bring the best out of him this season.
“Against Accrington Stanley again you saw that he has a lot of pace but, unfortunately for him, most teams sit back a lot against us.
“If you look back at the goals he scored for us, I remember the one against Villa when he went around the goalkeeper on a fast break, that is his main strength.
"He has other qualities as well – but we are still working on getting him in the best possible positions against a low block.
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“That involves the right timings, the right crosses, the right position to start from and making the right run.”
Liverpool are next in action on Tuesday night when they face Lille in the Champions League.
