Liverpool vs Brentford

Liverpool’s bid to win the Premier League is off and running as they host a resurgent Brentford side at Anfield for a potentially tricky fixture.

Liverpool relinquished a perfect three-game start to their 2023/24 Europa League campaign with a goal-glutted 3-2 defeat at Toulouse in midweek, less than five days after barely avoiding defeat in a 1-1 draw against Premier League newcomers Luton Town. An underwhelming result at Kenilworth Road wasn’t just a minor setback despite extending their unbeaten league run to four games (W2, D2) as it saw the ‘Reds’ lose ground on pacesetters Manchester City. There’s no reason to panic yet, with only three points separating the sides ahead of the kick-off, not to mention Jurgen Klopp’s men have proclivities to overachieve at Anfield. They’ve won all five home league outings this season via an aggregate score of 14-2, netting precisely three goals on four occasions.

That doesn’t make for good reading if you’re a Brentford fan, though the visitors won’t shy away from the task after pulling off a stunning second-half comeback last weekend, turning a 2-1 halftime deficit into a 3-2 win over West Ham. Indeed, the visitors’ form curve has taken an upward trajectory, with the ‘Bees’ going from six consecutive Premier League matches without winning (D3, L3) to three victories on the trot, including a 2-0 triumph at Chelsea on their last travel. Extending that streak at Anfield is more of a wishful thinking, knowing they’ve lost both previous Premier League visits to this venue ‘to nil.’ Adding to this sentiment, before upsetting Stamford Bridge, Thomas Frank’s side had lost twice on their three previous league trips (D1).