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Liverpool will look to make it five Premier League wins on the bounce as they travel to face Brentford this evening. Jurgen Klopp’s side had a fairly miserable first few months of the season, but there are signs they could finally be starting to click into gear as we enter 2023.
The Reds were not entirely convincing against Leicester on Friday but got the job done through two own goals from Wout Faes, with victory leaving them just four points off the Champions League spots. There was plenty of talk again about Darwin Nunez’s wastefulness in front of goal – he leads the line once again here. New signing Cody Gakpo will have to wait for his debut with Jordan Henderson also out as Ibrahima Konate, Fabinho and Kostas Tsimikas all start.
Brentford have reason to be confident too, picking up four points from recent London derbies against Tottenham and West Ham. However, Ivan Toney is out injured today as Yoane Wissa and Vitaly Janelt come in. Follow Brentford vs Liverpool LIVE below, with expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at Gtech Community Stadium.
Live updates
Interesting to see if that’s an injury for Van Dijk or he’s just been dragged off for performance reasons.
Back underway in west London.
Will Brentford cruise to a statement victory, or can Liverpool mount an unlikely comeback?
Disgusted with what he saw in that first half, Klopp is making THREE changes at half-time.
Joel Matip, Andy Robertson and Naby Keita are all coming on.
Van Dijk is among those to go off, along with Tsimikas and Elliott.
An almighty uphill task facing Liverpool after the interval…
It is difficult to overstate just how bad Liverpool were in that first half after an initially bright opening in which Raya denied Van Dijk with the offside flag raised and Mee blocked a Nunez effort off the line.
They are all at sea defensively, with a ridiculous high line and a serious lack of communication and organisation.
This could get really, really ugly if they don’t get their act together.
Brentford are flying and look eager to dole out more punishment.
Klopp’s side weren’t good against Leicester but got away with it. That won’t be the case here.
Watch: Wissa strikes at third time of asking
Half-time
Brentford 2-0 Liverpool
A dream first half for the Bees, who hold a comfortable lead thanks to Konate’s early own goal and header from Wissa – who also had two ruled out.
Liverpool just dreadful and deservedly punished.
48 mins: A rogue touch from Nunez denies Liverpool the chance to try and cut the deficit on the stroke of half-time.
That just about sums up a wretched first 45 minutes for the visitors.
45 mins: Three minutes of additional time signalled.
An apoplectic Klopp is tearing into his players, who have been absolutely dreadful thus far.
The hairdryer will be out in full force very shortly.
Malik Ouzia at Gtech Community Stadium
What a mad passage of play. What is it about this fixture?
GOAL! Brentford 2-0 Liverpool | Yoane Wissa 42′
42 mins: That one will count!
At the third time of asking, Wissa does now extend Brentford’s lead before the break.
It’s another dangerous cross into the box from Jensen and Wissa gets in front of Alexander-Arnold to power a header into the ground and over the despairing grasp of Alisson.
Liverpool try to play on but that crossed the line, quickly signalled by the refeee.
The stadium erupts. Liverpool are absolutely all over the place.
What drama in west London!
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