Brentford vs Liverpool predicted XIs: Confirmed team news and probable lineups
Manchester City are looming large in Liverpool’s rearview mirror and the Reds can ill-afford any slips as they look to cement their place at the top of the Premier League.
The leaders are just two points ahead of the champions, who have hit top gear recently, and a trip to Brentford looks a tricky encounter.
Liverpool are warm 8/13 favourites to take all three points, but the Bees will have other ideas. It’s a 9/2 shot at a home win, but a safer play may be the best way to go for this Community Stadium contest.
Darwin Nunez backed by teammate to take the ‘next step’ for Liverpool
With a league-high 21 big chances missed this season — at least three more than any other player — his fair to say Darwin Nunez can be frustrating. However, from his physicality to the intelligence to be in the right place to have a crack at those chances, there’s no denying the Uruguayan is a talented and hugely effective figure in the Liverpool attack.
Nunez hit the net to seal a 3-1 win over Burnley last time out to take his total for the season to 12 goals across all competitions and he now sits just three short of his tally from 2022/23 with plenty of games left to play. And that’s on top of providing 11 assists.
Teammate Harvey Elliott was the man to provide the assist for Nunez’s goal against the Clarets and he’s backed the striker to continue kicking off and levelling up his game at Anfield.
“You don’t really need to look up, to be honest!” Elliott told Liverpoolfc.com regarding his assist last weekend. “You kind of know the areas he’s going to be in and more often than not he gets on the end of it.
“It’s just all credit to him, he’s an amazing player and he really helps us out in moments. He has scored some very important goals for us this season and since he’s joined.
“For us, to have him someone like him where you know where he’s going to be; he doesn’t complain, some games he doesn’t score but he puts 110% effort in. That’s all we can ask of him. He’s going from step to step to step now and for him, we’re all very happy.”
Elliott added: “I think the whole world can see now. It’s hard for him to come from a different country first and foremost, but to a country where he doesn’t know the language, he couldn’t speak it. Now he has taken the responsibility of learning English and you can have a conversation with him now, which is nice.
“It’s just all credit to him. He’s going to kick on now and he’s going to show the world, that’s for sure.”
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Brentford vs Liverpool team news
Brentford remain without crucial first-team players including Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, and Aaron Hickey. Bryan Mbeumo has an ankle injury and has been ruled out for three months and Josh Dasilva is out for the season having suffered a knee injury.
Frank Onyeka and Yoane Wissa should feature after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Alisson should return in goal for the Reds after missing last week’s Burnley win with flu. Conor Bradley could replace Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Joe Gomez should also be available after illness.
Ibrahima Konate should return after a suspension, but Ryan Gravenberch is a doubt due to a groin issue and could join Dominik Szoboszlai, Thiago, Stefan Bacjetic, Joel Matip and Ben Doak on the sidelines.
Mo Salah returned to training this week and could feature in west London.
Brentford vs Liverpool prediction line-ups
Brentford (3-5-2): Flekken; Pinnock, Mee, Collins; Roerslev, Onyeka, Janelt, Norgaard, Reguilon; Toney, Maupay.
Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Endo, Jones; Salah, Nunez, Jota.
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