ANFIELD, LIVERPOOL — After a hugely encouraging start to the new campaign, Liverpool now find themselves navigating a sticky patch that has raised questions over whether all of last season’s problems have truly been solved.
In their last Premier League outing, the Reds were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by newly promoted Luton Town, and then followed that up with a shock defeat to Toulouse in the Europa League.
They now face another huge test of their mettle in hosting a Brentford side who have put a mixed start behind them to reel off three wins on the spin.
One of those came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, proving Thomas Frank’s side are more than capable of pulling off a win away to one of the division’s big hitters.
The Sporting News is following the match live from Anfield with highlights and commentary below.
Liverpool vs Brentford live score
2nd half Goalscorers Liverpool 3 Salah (39′), Salah (62′), Jota (74′) Brentford 0 –
Starting lineups:
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas — Szoboszlai, Endo, Gakpo — Salah, Nunez, Jota.
Brentford (3-5-2): Flekken (GK) — Collins, Pinnock, Mee — Ayer, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Roerslev — Mbeumo, Wissa.
Liverpool vs Brentford live updates, highlights, commentary
79th min: Brentford go close as Pinnock forces Van Dijk to clear off the line with a header.
They’ve caused trouble in the air all the way through today’s game but still have nothing to show for it.
74th min: JOTA GRABS LIVERPOOL’S THIRD! 3-0!
Well, that should be that for Liverpool. Jota takes the ball just inside the area and twists and turns before cutting onto his right and smashing the ball into the far corner.
69th min: Brentford still threatening and it requires a foul on Mbeumo to stop their latest speedy counter.
He has been incredible today in helping the visitors get up the pitch.
62nd min: SALAH MAKES IT 2-0!
It’s a muted celebration from the Liverpool man, who clearly feels Tsimikas might not have been able to get the cross in before it slid over the byline.
However, a VAR check shows it was comfortably in, and Liverpool have their two-goal advantage.
57th min: Norgaard needs treatment after a strong tackle between him and Endo, which VAR rightly deems is not worth a second look from the referee.
Fortunately for the visitors, he is okay to continue.
50th min: Jensen has a pop with a free-kick at the edge of the Liverpool box and forces Alisson to tip over the bar.
The hosts defend the subsequent corner.
46th min: A change at the break for Brentford, with Janelt replaced by Onyeka.
46th min: LIVERPOOL RESTART THE GAME!HALFTIME: LIVERPOOL 1-0 BRENTFORD
45th min (+4): A big chance for Liverpool as Alexander-Arnold dinks a beauty over the top for Salah, but he blasts it over the bar on his right foot.
45th min: Liverpool fans haven’t been particularly happy with referee Paul Tierney’s performance so far here, but a free-kick award in the hosts’ favour as the Kop chanting, “We love you Tierney, we do.”
Very good.
39th min: GOAL! LIVERPOOL LEAD THROUGH SALAH!
That’s a wonderful goal from the hosts. Alexander-Arnold fires a ball through the lines to Nunez, who controls and turns before slipping in Salah on the right-hand side of the box.
The Egyptian is well onside and takes a touch before firing a trademark finish into the far post.
38th min: Matip goes into the book for clipping Norgaard as Brentford look to counter but replays show the defender clearly winning the ball before being run into.
That’s a harsh one.
32nd min: Huge chance for Brentford!
Mbeumo gets away one-v-one thanks to a glorious touch on a pass over the top but can’t beat Alisson with an attempted dinked finish – that’s a big save from the Liverpool goalkeeper.
31st min: Two bookings in quick succession for Brentford, Norgaard for stopping a quick counter with his hand and Ajer for legging up Jota.
28th min: Another disallowed goal for Liverpool!
Flekken makes an unbelievable save from a Van Dijk header from a corner but can’t stop Nunez turning an overhead kick on from Matip’s subsequent flick-on.
However, the offside flag goes up again before VAR confirms another good call from the assistant referee.
25th min: A break in play now as Ben Mee receives treatment. The defender was clattered by his own teammate, Ethan Pinnock, while challenging Darwin Nunez for a header.
22nd min: Liverpool have the ball in the back of the net but it’s not going to count.
Nunez collects the ball from a weak Szoboszlai shot before passing it home, but VAR confirms the linesman’s call that the Uruguayan was marginally offside.
18th min: Liverpool defend a Brentford counter well but then a loose Alexander-Arnold touch surrends the ball to Mbeumo, who blasts over under pressure.
That’s a decent chance.
14th min: Pinball inside the Brentford box almost allows Jota to get in for a shot but a mass of bodies gets in the way before the visitors clear.
It’s nip and tuck at the moment.
5th min: Now Brentford’s turn to threaten, with Mee coming agonisingly close to turn home a wayward Pinnock shot after chaos from a set-piece.
That’s a real potential route to goal for the visitors today.
4th min: Liverpool work it well around the Brentford box but Gakpo’s powerful shot is straight down Flekken’s throat and he collects it.
Anything either side of the goalkeeper there and that would have been a real test.
1st min: BRENTFORD GET THE GAME STARTED!
15 mins to kickoff: It’s a horribly wet and windy day at Anfield – the sort of conditions you expect across the majority of an English football season, truth be told. Will that help Brentford in their physical approach as they look to cause chaos in the Liverpool box?
45 mins to kickoff: Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate the surprise absentees for Liverpool today with what are described as minor injuries. Still, the Reds looking down to the bare bones, with Luis Diaz their only substitute over the age of 20.
1 hr to kickoff: TEAM NEWS IS IN!
Check out the lineups above or scroll down for the full squads.
1.5 hrs to kickoff: A big one coming up for Liverpool after back-to-back disappointments…
Suddenly feels like a very important game for Liverpool, this. An opportunity to go up to second but, perhaps most importantly, to put two bad results to bed before the international break. @sn_footballclub pic.twitter.com/HYcnqcc8o0
— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) November 12, 2023
2 hrs to kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of Liverpool vs Brentford at Anfield. Two sides in vastly different form come up against each other this afternoon, with the hosts arguably most in need of the points as they look to restore confidence after enduring a recent sticky patch.
Liverpool vs Brentford lineups, team news
Liverpool have been hit by further fitness issues with Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez surprise absentees from the squad to face Brentford.
The Reds were already enduring something of an injury crisis in midfield after Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch this week joined Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic in the treatment room.
Alexis Mac Allister added to the woes in that part of the pitch by picking up a one-match suspension, while the defence is also weakened by the continued absence of Andy Robertson.
Liverpool lineup (4-3-3): Alisson (GK) — Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas — Szoboszlai, Endo, Gakpo — Salah, Nunez, Jota.
Subs: Diaz, Elliott, Chambers, Scanlon, Doak, McConnell, Kelleher, Quansah, Nyoni.
Thomas Frank is also contending with a lengthy list of absentees, with Rico Henry (knee), Aaron Hickey (hamstring), Ivan Toney (suspension), Kevin Schade (adductor), Mikkel Damsgaard (knee), Josh Dasilva (thigh) and Shandon Baptiste (fitness) all out of action.
Keane Lewis-Potter also misses out despite recently returning to training, but Mark Flekken is back in having only picked up a dead leg in last week’s win over West Ham.
Brentford lineup (3-5-2): Flekken (GK) — Collins, Pinnock, Mee — Ayer, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Roerslev — Mbeumo, Wissa.
Subs: Maupay, Jorgensen, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Strakosha, Peart-Harris, Baptiste, Yarmolyuk, Olakigbe.
Liverpool vs Brentford live stream, TV channel
Below are a number of available sites and channels where you can watch the game from your region.
TV channel Streaming USA — Peacock Canada — Fubo Canada Australia — Optus Sport UK TNT Sports 1 discovery+ India Star Sports Select 1 JioTV, Hotstar VIP New Zealand Sky Sport Premier League Sky Sport Now Malaysia Astro Supersport 3 sooka, Astro Go Singapore 221 Hub Premier 1 StarHub TV+ Hong Kong Now Premier League (Ch. 620-621) Now Player