Key events
Half-time reading
Half time: Brentford 2-1 Liverpool
Brentford lead after an intriguing first half at the Gtech Community Stadium, but the half-time whistle brings a chorus of boos from the home fans who feel they should lead 2-0 rather than 2-1.
GOAL! Brentford 2-1 Liverpool (Kerkez 45+5)
Liverpool are back in it! Bradley’s low cross was missed by Ekitike at the near post and turned in by Kerkez at the far post.
Brentford aren’t happy because the board said a minimum of three minutes of added time and Liverpool scored in the fifth.
45+1 min On that penalty appeal just before the goal, Collins certainly didn’t touch the ball. I’m not sure he touched Gakpo either, which is why VAR didn’t intervene. But I’d like to see it again to be sure.
Mikkel Damsgaard, 15 yards inside his own half, opened Liverpool up with a gorgeous curling pass around Konate to put Schade through on goal. He was too quick for the recovering Konate and sidefooted the ball through Mamaradashvili.
GOAL! Brentford 2-0 Liverpool (Schade 45)
Kevin Schade makes it two on the stroke of half-time!
44 min More Liverpool pressure. And more. Eventually Jones’ low cross is kicked away on the stretch by Collins.
Moments later Gakpo does down in the area after a challenge from Collins. He wants a penalty; the referee Simon Hooper disagrees and VAR backs him up.
41 min After a bit of Liverpool pressure, Jones curls straight at Kelleher from the edge of the area.
39 min: Fine save by Mamardashvili
This is Brentford’s best spell. Damsgaard collects a loose ball 25 yards out and curls a booming shot that is clawed over the bar by Mamardashvili; that’s a really good save.
38 min Ouattara, scorer of the only goal so far, sprays a half-volley wide from distance.
37 min “Bill Belichick once said that special teams coach (ie, set pieces) was where the best NFL coaches started because you had to get so deep into the granular details to find advantages,” writes Drew. “Think Keith Andrews is going to bear that out?”
No. But good luck to him if he does; he always came across in his punditry as being extremely intelligent.
36 min Kayode’s booming throw is punched away inelegantly but effectively by Mamardashvili.
36 min Ajer has a speculative shot blocked after a nice move from Brentford on the left. The ball is put out of play for another Kayode special…
34 min “Good evening Rob,” hics Simon McMahon. “I hope you are well, or at least half as well as me. I’m on the whisky, celebrating a come from behind 3-1 victory for Dundee United against St. Mirren at Tannadice today. At half time Dundee, leading at Falkirk, were third in the 12-team league, with United not in the top six, yet at full time it was United in third, with Dundee ending the day in tenth after Falkirk also came from behind to win. What this has to do with Brentford v Liverpool is anyone’s guess, but hey, this is the MBM, right? Anything goes! Salah to Tannadice on loan in January..?!”
33 min Kerkez is booked for pulling back Ouattara.
32 min Henderson is given a lot of space, 25 yards from goal, and rifles a low drive not far wide of the near post. Mamardashvili probably had it covered.
28 min: Brentford substitution Yehor Yarmolyuk has a problem around his hip and is unable to continue. Vitaly Janelt replaces him.
26 min Jones slides a lovely pass down the left to release Kerkez, whose cross goes too close to Kelleher. Liverpool are getting closer.
24 min Gakpo veers infield from the left and shoots over from 25 yards. Brentford are defending well but I’m not sure it’s sustainable for 90 minutes. Liverpool have had all of the ball since the goal.
22 min Gakpo’s teasing cross is slightly behind Ekitike, who flicks a header well wide of the far post.
21 min “I’m not sure I would have predicted back in August that everyone would be writing ‘Crisis Club Liverpool’ before Halloween had arrived,” says Richard Morris.
Let’s all calm down; there’s a long way to go in this game and the season. If they lost 12-0 I’ll lead the crisis club stuff.
20 min: Chance for Wirtz! Ekitike tries to score with a backheel that is blocked by a defender. The ball rebounds to Wirtz, who spanks wide from 15 yards with his left foot. An instinctive effort, not far off target.
19 min “The Liverpool defence has learned the hard way that it takes two to tango, but only one to Dango!” writes Peter Oh. “I do hope Salah has brought his dancing shoes tonight.”
17 min Liverpool are starting to apply more pressure, though Brentford look comfortable enough in their low block. It’s an interesting game.
14 min “You win the header,” says Chris Healy. “That’s how you defend a long throw.”
12 min Van den Berg makes a vital interception to stop Wirtz’s pass putting Salah through on goal.
10 min Gakpo cracks a terrific short pass through to Salah, whose slightly heavy touch allows Kelleher to dive at his feet and make a brave save. Salah followed through into Kelleher and immediately checks his old mate is okay.
9 min Plenty of Liverpool possession since the goal, as you’d expect. Salah whips a cross that bounces through to Kelleher.
GOAL! Brentford 1-0 Liverpool (Ouattara 5)
The long throw works a treat this time! Kayode hurls a beast from the left, Ajer heads it across goal and Ouattara hooks a volley past Mamardashvili from five yards. Smart finish, and to be honest I’m not sure how you defend that.
4 min “Right,” says Matt Dony. “Let’s not dwell on last week. The Eintracht game was a relief more than anything, and hopefully gives the side something to build on. Salah is obviously getting older, but he can’t be this quiet for long, can he? This feels like a good time for him to play a blinder. This is the real quiz.”
3 min Kayode flings it in, Van Dijk heads away with authority.
2 min Ajer stabs a long pass down the left towards Schade, forcing Mamardashvili to come out of his box to clear. That means the first long throw of the game…
1 min And they’re off!
Brentford’s XI include three former Liverpool players: Jordan Henderson, Caoimhin Kelleher and Sepp van den Berg.
A reminder of the teams
Brentford (4-2-3-1) Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Ajer; Henderson, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Nelson, Carvalho, Onyeka, Lewis-Potter, Janelt
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Robertson, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha.
Referee Simon Hooper.
Today’s Premier League results
You can read more on our football home page.
There are a lot of things that can happen when you get older. But if I can select one player who has the ball 12, 13 yards from goal and he should score that to save my life, I would have Mo in that position. Now he needs to show that he can get into those positions.
Before facing his former club, Sepp van den Berg explains why he left Anfield when Arne Slot wanted him to stay and why he is loving life at Brentford
Kenny Dalglish is the subject of a new film directed by Asif Kapadia on the Scot’s remarkable career in football and connection with his adopted city. The great Donald McRae spoke to them.
Team news
Mo Salah returns to Liverpool’s starting XI, one of three changes from the win over Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek. Alexander Isak is injured, so Hugo Ekitike will start up front. The other changes are at full-back: Milos Kerkez and Conor Bradley replace Andy Robertson and Jeremie Frimpong.
Brentford are unchanged from that excellent win at West Ham.
Brentford (4-2-3-1) Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Ajer; Henderson, Yarmolyuk; Ouattara, Damsgaard, Schade; Thiago.
Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Pinnock, Jensen, Nelson, Carvalho, Onyeka, Lewis-Potter, Janelt
Liverpool (4-2-3-1) Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Jones; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike.
Subs: Woodman, Gomez, Endo, Mac Allister, Chiesa, Robertson, Nyoni, Morrison, Ngumoha.
Referee Simon Hooper.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Brentford v Liverpool at the Gtech Community Stadium. Both teams into this game after emphatic away victories in the week – Brentford at West Ham on Monday, Liverpool in Frankfurt on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s task tonight is to arrest a run of three straight league defeats and reignite their title challenge. A win would move them back to second place, a point behind Arsenal having played a game more. With the way Arsenal are playing, Liverpool won’t want any more slip-ups.
Kick off 8pm.
