Liverpool 2-0 Brentford – Player Ratings

Liverpool’s first Premier League match at Anfield under Arne Slot ended in a fairly routine 2-0 win over Brentford, albeit after plenty of missed chances.

Liverpool 2-0 Brentford

Premier League (2), Anfield
August 25, 2024

Goals: Diaz 13′, Salah 70′

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Alisson – 8 (out of 10)

Safe hands with one first-half shot but otherwise didn’t have too much to do in the opening period. Had to make a smart stop just after the restart from a close-range header too.

Showed the usual great footwork and assured passing under pressure. Looks great in the new ‘keeper kit.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7

Doesn’t quite yet look up to full speed but had a couple of decent attacking moments, one cut-inside and shooting chance being deflected over and some nice link-ups with Mo Salah running inside him.

Subbed after the second goal, perhaps still managing his minutes after the summer.

Ibrahima Konate – 8

The only change from the opening weekend and almost marked his return with a goal, his header saved on the line.

Defensively he was very solid, winning those duels Arne Slot talked about at Ipswich and ensuring he covered behind Alexander-Arnold when needed, before pushing up more second half when the Reds were dominant.

Kept Bryan Mbeumo very quiet when he was on the run or trying to cut in.

Virgil van Dijk – 7

Not at his dominant best first half – lost out in a challenge to Yoane Wissa on the halfway line and one or two aerials higher upfield – but in the box he won everything.

Second half was a cakewalk for him, just dealing tidily with sporadic counters. Two clean sheets from two.

Andy Robertson – 7

Almost scored near post midway through the first half, but also cost a couple of decent attacks with passes played behind his target.

Defensively didn’t have a whole lot to do in the end, as he was high upfield for the odd late Brentford counter, though maybe could have scored another when meeting a Diogo Jota effort at the far post.

Ryan Gravenberch – 7

More of the same from last week when he made a couple of good challenges and showed intent to track back, but also…that he’s not a natural defensive midfielder.

Bypassed a bit and one over-zealous, poorly timed tackle got him booked.

Alexis Mac Allister – 7

Looks possibly the sharpest of the three midfield starters so far, though we still haven’t seen any of them in top gear yet.

Made some great little passes when he was in and around the box, involved in the second goal and almost claimed an early assist of the season entrant.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 7

A hot-and-cold performance really, with some decent positions taken up and a few nice surges into space, but also not always the right choice in the pass.

Involved in the second goal, winning back possession. Booked in the first half after a wayward touch and tackle.

Mohamed Salah – 8 – Man of the Match

As usual a non-stop outlet and showed plenty of intent, but small margins went against him initially with a succession of blocked shots, refereeing decisions and slightly under-hit return passes denied Salah ever really getting a clear sight.

Was central to the best attacking move of the match, three wall-passes in a row which almost saw him nip in at the far post.

With 20 to play, though, Salah had his moment when he was played in…and made no mistake, clipping home his second of the season.

Ahead of Robbie Fowler with Anfield goals now.

Luis Diaz – 8

Absolutely buried his first chance of the game, lashing home on the run to open the scoring.

Taken out on the dribble a few times afterwards as he proved a great outlet, and happily maintained an end product from that point.

Had one tipped past the base of the post with a low drive on the hour and teed up Jota for a big chance soon after, before claiming an assist with Salah’s goal.

Diogo Jota – 7

Some really neat exchanges of passing including the through-ball for Diaz’s goal.

Didn’t see any goal chances fall his way first half but almost assisted Robertson with an overhead kick after the restart.

Should really have scored himself soon after, but a close-range shot was well-blocked by a defender. More perspiration than inspiration this time.

 

Substitutes

Cody Gakpo (on for Diaz, 72′) – 7 – Rattled the bar with a deflected long-range hit.

Darwin Nunez (on for Jota, 72′) – 6 – First league minutes, not much involvement. One flicked effort wide but was offside.

Conor Bradley (on for Alexander-Arnold, 72′) – 6 – A few runs forward, a challenge, a foul.

Harvey Elliott (on for Salah, 80′) – N/A – Came on down the right, sent over a couple of crosses.

Wataru Endo (on for Gravenberch, 90′) – N/A – Just injury time for his first appearance.

Subs not used: Kelleher, Quansah, Gomez, Tsimikas

 

Arne Slot – 8

No surprises in the starting lineup and Slot got the slightly faster start he would have wanted through Diaz’s goal on the counter-attack, but the tempo of that spell didn’t last.

Liverpool were at times a bit sloppy in the first 45 minutes, before picking it up again second half.

That’s not an easy or immediate fix considering varied fitness levels and the fact we were poor starters for quite some time under the last regime.

Perhaps surprising no subs were made with the game still in the balance, but minutes for the current second-choice players came straight after the second goal – important, given we face Man United next and don’t want attackers coming on cold in that fixture.

Much of the same as in game one, this was control and flashes of quality without a totally clinical edge.

Liverpool could have had eight goals this term by now, but we do have six points and that’s all the positives we need so far.