An early start and a potential banana skin were avoided by Liverpool with four clinical finishes at Brentford, but fans will ask at what cost after two worrying injuries.
Brentford 1-4 Liverpool
Premier League (25), Gtech Community Stadium
February 17, 2024
Goals
Nunez 35′ (assist: Jota)
Mac Allister 55′ (assist: Salah)
Toney 75′
Salah 68′ (assist: Gakpo)
Gakpo 86′ (assist: Diaz)
A week on from Liverpool’s last outing, there was good and bad news. Conor Bradley and Mohamed Salah returned to the squad, but Alisson became one of the latest to succumb to injury.
Caoimhin Kelleher, therefore, retained his place and waited 18 minutes to make his first save as the Reds dominated possession, though the hosts showed flashes of attacking threat when on the overlap.
They sought to counter-attack as Liverpool camped in their half, but it was Jurgen Klopp‘s side who showed how to transition from defence to attack in devastating fashion.
From Virgil van Dijk‘s defensive clearance, Diogo Jota brilliantly nodded the ball into the path of a free Darwin Nunez, who finished with a delightful chip for 1-0.
A moment of euphoria that was sandwiched between two heart-stopping moments, with Curtis Jones forced off the pitch with an ankle injury and Jota stretchered off after a Brentford player landed on his knee.
Liverpool will have all their fingers and and toes crossed neither is serious – when it rains, it pours!
Half time: Brentford 0-1 Liverpool
- Nunez opened the scoring, 13th goal of the season
- Jones AND Jota forced off with first-half injuries
- Mac Allister, Salah and Gakpo add goals in the second half
- Reds move five points clear at the top, at least temporarily
The changes did not stop even through the break for Liverpool, with Nunez withdrawn and Cody Gakpo introduced at the start of the second half. Hopefully, it’s not another issue.
Klopp’s men did pick up from where they left off after the break, though. Salah quickly made up for missing a glorious chance, setting up Alexis Mac Allister with a sumptuous pass between defenders.
Salah then marked his return with a goal of his own with a clinical finish after being the quickest to react to Gakpo’s headed flick-on from the centre circle. That’s 19 for the season!
The Reds flexed their superiority on the ball, but were unable to keep Ivan Toney off the scoresheet after Kelleher’s brilliant initial reaction save fell straight into his path.
Klopp’s men did not waver, though, and Gakpo added the finishing touches to the win with yet another tidy Liverpool finish, a timely confidence boost for him considering Jota’s injury.
There were nerves ahead of this fixture, and while Liverpool’s display quickly saw them dissipate, there will be huge concerns over the extent of the injuries picked up in the capital.
TIA Man of the Match: Wataru Endo
Referee: Michael Oliver
Brentford: Flekken; Collins; Ajer, Mee; Norgaard (Onyeka 63′), Roerslev (Lewis-Potter 63′), Jensen (Damsgaard 74′), Janelt, Reguilon (Ghoddos 85′); Toney, Maupay (Wissa 63′)
Subs not used: Strakosha, Zanka, Baptiste, Yarmoliuk
Liverpool: Kelleher; Bradley (Gomez 84′), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Endo, Mac Allister (Elliott 83′), Jones (Gravenberch 34′); Diaz, Jota (Salah 44′), Nunez (Gakpo 46′)
Subs not used: Adrian, Quansah, Tsimikas, McConnell
Next Match: Luton (H) – Premier League – Wednesday, Feb 21, 7.30pm (GMT)
Fan Comments