Brentford vs Liverpool: Tricky Test for Jurgen Klopp’s Side

Liverpool have the opportunity to build some real momentum behind their title charge, as they travel to Brentford in the Premier League’s early kick-off on Saturday. A victory would see the Reds move five points clear of Manchester City, ahead of City and Arsenal’s fixtures later in the weekend.

Despite Brentford sitting down in 14th place, the Bees will undoubtedly pose a larger threat than their league position suggests. Therefore, today we’re going to be taking a deeper look at Brentford’s key threats and what to watch out for on Saturday.

Recent Form:

Brentford’s recent form has been largely disappointing, with two wins in their last eleven games across all competitions. However, it’s important to note that both of those two wins have come in their last four games.

Their most recent outing saw them pull off an impressive 2-0 away victory at high-flying Wolves, with goals from Christian Norgaard and Ivan Toney securing the three points. Prior to that win, Brentford had suffered back-to-back defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

Their only other victory came in a 3-2 home victory over Nottingham Forest, where Toney’s return to the team stole the headlines.

Brentford’s Key Threats:

Ivan Toney

This one doesn’t need much explanation, with the 27-year-old becoming one of the top strikers in English football over recent years. Toney has scored three goals in four games since his return to the side from his eight-month suspension.

The forward not only has a clear eye for goal, but also has the physicality and tenacity that can cause any team problems. Both Virgil Van Dijk and Ibou Konate will need to be water-tight to keep Brentford’s star-man quiet on Saturday.

Neal Maupay

The former Everton striker has struck up a quite remarkable partnership with Toney since his move to West London. Since signing for the Bees, Maupay has scored five goals in 18 appearances but three of those goals have came since Toney’s return to the team four games ago.

Maupay is nowhere near as talented or physical as Toney, but the Frenchman still has a knack for finding space in and around the area. Again, Van Dijk and Konate will have their work cut out trying to keep the duo quiet on Saturday.

Christian Norgaard

The 29-year-old has become an integral fixture in Thomas Frank’s side so far this season, featuring in 21 of Brentford’s 23 Premier League games this season. Norgaard put in a fantastic display in their victory over Wolves last weekend, even putting himself on the scoresheet in the process.

The defensive-midfielder will have the task of keeping tabs on Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister and limiting the creative output from Klopp’s midfield three. If Norgaard can do that, then Liverpool’s attacking levels could drop severely – especially with the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Score Prediction:

This one promises to be quite a chaotic game, with plenty of goals expected. I struggle to see Liverpool keeping a clean sheet in this one, but I do think their attacking quality will prove to be too much for Brentford’s lightweight defence.

Brentford 1-2 Liverpool