Brentford will play host to Liverpool in this tricky Premier League fixture at home. The Bees have been underwhelming this season but they will be looking at the remainder of the season to build some momentum and stay away from the relegation battle. As for Liverpool, they are back to their very best and are gunning for the Premier League title this season.
Brentford comes into the game heavy on form in terms of head-to-head when the game is played at their ground - a 3-3 draw in 2021 and a 3-1 win last season. However, form in the league has been bad this time but they will be banking on their record against Jurgen Klopp’s side to boost their chances of beating the drop this campaign.
Brentford missed the presence of Ivan Toney for the first half of the season. Toney, who scored 33% of Brentford's Premier League goals last season, was served with an 8-month football ban and a £50,000 fine for his gambling escapades. But with the ban completed, he will lead the side and play a part in their change in fortune.
The goals haven't particularly stopped flowing for the London outfit as the duo of Yoane Wissa (deputizing for Toney) and Cameroonian international Bryan Mbeumo stepped up to provide the goals. The former remarkably is part of the special contingent of a trio of premier league players to have both scored and assisted 10-plus goals in 2023 (Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah). However, Mbeumo is injured now while Wissa, who is currently away at AFCON, could be available to face the Reds.
Defensively, is where the Bees have been lacking having conceded 22 goals and accumulating a goal difference of +1 across the campaign (as of the time of writing). The acquisitions of Mark Flekken from Freiburg - to replace former first-choice goalie David Raya who joined Arsenal on loan during the summer - and Nathan Collins from Wolves in addition to Ben Mee, and Ethan Pinnock should have been enough to shore up the defense but it's been quite the opposite thus far.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have enjoyed a promising start to the season, currently sitting on top of the Premier League with 45 points as of the time of writing. During the summer, the team experienced notable departures, primarily to the Saudi Pro League. Former captain Jordan Henderson joined Al-Ettifaq alongside club legend Steven Gerrard, while Roberto Firmino and Fabinho headed to Al-Ahli Saudi and Al-Ittihad, respectively.
Other exits included Naby Keita to Werder Bremen after the expiration of his contract, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain to Besiktas, James Milner to Brighton and Hove Albion, Fabio Carvalho on loan to RB Leipzig, and Arthur Melo, who left at the end of a challenging loan spell.
Marquee signings strengthened the squad, with Hungarian captain Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig, World Cup winner Alexis MacAllister from Brighton and Hove Albion, Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich, and Wataru Endo joining the ranks from the Bundesliga.
The Reds started their Premier League campaign with an entertaining 1-1 draw against Chelsea, followed by five consecutive wins against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Wolves, and West Ham. Notably, Liverpool beat Newcastle with Darwin Nunez pulling up heroics after captain Virgil Van Dijk was sent off early in the game.
The team faced their first defeat in a dramatic loss to Tottenham Hotspur, ending with nine men due to red cards for Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota. Subsequent matches included a 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion, victories against Everton, Nottingham Forest, Luton Town, Brentford, Fulham, and Sheffield, and a hard-fought win over Crystal Palace that saw Salah score his 200th goal for the club.
Liverpool are currently high on confidence and they could go all out for the win in this particular fixture.
Match tickets
The epic match at Brentford Community Stadium in London kicks off on Saturday 17th February 2024, at 12:30 PM UK time. Brentford’s 17,250-capacity stadium will be playing host to this fixture between the Premier League strugglers and the Premier League title contenders.
Getting tickets for the Brentford vs Liverpool tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
Thomas Frank has a lot of tinkering to do but he will be pleased with the return of Ivan Toney from his betting ban. Rico Henry (Knee injury) is possibly ruled out for the rest of the season, the Bees still struggle with injuries and fitness to key squad players inclusive of Bryan Mbeumo who picked up an ankle sprain in their 1-0 loss to Sheffield in December, club record signing Kevin Schade, Kristoffer Ajer, Mathias Jensen, Aaron Hickey, and Joshua DaSilva all continue to be in and out of the medical room.
Yoane Wissa could have returned from national team duties with DR Congo depending on how they finish and the same goes for Frank Onyeka who is at the AFCON tournament with Nigeria. Highly rated Nigerian teenage winger Michael Olakigbe might just settle for a spot on the bench after making his league debut in the 1-nil loss to Sheffield in early December.
Brentford: Flekken; Ghoddos, Mee, Pinnock, Janelt; Baptiste, Norgaard, Onyeka; Maupay, Wissa, Toney.
Liverpool's upcoming fixture might see the return of some previously injured players. Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara is back in the squad after a 10 month absence, while Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold are back in the fold too following time on the sidelines. Joel Matip is, unfortunately, out for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament rupture while Mo Salah has a chance of returning following a hamstring problem that caused him to return home early from AFCON.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Jones; Diaz, Nunez, Jota:
Prediction
Brentford have been struggling but with the return of Ivan Toney, the mood around the club might be different going forward. But they will be up against a side that has found form and rhythm again this particular season.
This is a fixture that could produce a good amount of goals and Thomas Frank will be hoping his side can do the unthinkable and usurp the potential champions. It seems unlikely.
Brentford 0-3 Liverpool
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