Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah had been on the right track as Brentford misplaced 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Díaz rounded off a fast counter assault to present the hosts an early lead, earlier than Salah netted halfway by way of the second half. Christian Nørgaard and Nathan Collins went closest for the Bees who fought laborious on Merseyside however to no avail.
Keane Lewis-Potter changed Kevin Schade because the Bees switched to 3-5-2 for his or her second fixture of the Premier League season.
Fábio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg, again in acquainted environment having swapped Anfield for the Gtech this month, had been named among the many substitutes. Ivan Toney, for the second week operating, was not concerned.
The hosts took the lead with their first effort at aim. Ibrahima Konaté rose highest to go away Mathias Jensen’s nook and Diogo Jota wriggled freed from Vitaly Janelt to start a lightening Liverpool counter assault. The ahead slid the ball past the Bees’ backline and into the trail of Díaz, who took it in in his stride earlier than firing past Mark Flekken.
The Reds instantly went in quest of a second. Andy Robertson exchanged passes with Díaz on his method into the field and Flekken bought down rapidly at his close to publish to push the ball out for a nook. Salah, discovered by Trent Alexander-Arnold within the space, blazed over beneath stress from Nathan Collins.
Simply earlier than the half-hour mark, Alexander-Arnold’s curling free-kick from 20 yards cleared the wall but in addition the crossbar.
The Bees had a giant likelihood to degree moments later. Nørgaard made a intelligent run to get in entrance of marker Jota however didn’t make clear contact together with his header and the ball bounced extensive of Alisson’s left publish.
Jensen noticed a speculative strike from exterior the field sail extensive and Konaté headed Roerslev’s first-time cross out for a nook beneath stress from Kristoffer Ajer as Brentford discovered a foothold and commenced to ask some questions of their hosts.
On 41 minutes, Alexander-Arnold, in a complicated place on the appropriate, obtained a move from Alexis Mac Allister, minimize in on his left and pulled the set off. A imply deflection off Collins wrong-footed Flekken however the ball flew over the bar.
On the different finish, within the last motion of the half, Lewis-Potter introduced down Jensen’s cross-field move, skipped previous Alexander-Arnold and examined Alisson with a low strike from 20 yards.
Shortly after the restart, Jota’s overhead kick was headed in the direction of aim by Robertson and Flekken bravely clawed to security.
On 51 minutes, the vigorous Lewis-Potter scampered from the left flank to the sting of the Reds’ field and performed a brief move to Mbeumo. The ahead shifted the ball on to his left and noticed his shot blocked by Konaté.
Collins then met Jensen’s inviting first-time cross with a header on the again publish, forcing Alisson into a sensible cease.
Moments later, Collins made a vital intervention on the different finish. Mac Allister lifted ball into the realm, Alexander-Arnold cushioned it down and the Republic of Eire worldwide sniffed out the hazard to place himself between Jota and the aim and make a last-ditch block.
Simply after the hour mark, Alexander-Arnold’s in-swinging nook struck Flekken’s close to publish. Liverpool recycled the ball, the full-back delivered one other devilish cross into the field and Konaté headed straight on the keeper.
Flekken then made an excellent cease to disclaim Díaz, who struck laborious and low from in step with the penalty spot having been discovered by Salah.
However Liverpool weren’t to be denied a second. Mac Allister and Díaz mixed to tee up Salah, who coolly lifted the ball over the on-rushing Flekken and into the again of the online.
Through the last 10 minutes, Collins was once more in the appropriate place on the proper time to stop Liverpool from extending their benefit, diverting substitute Cody Gakpo’s highly effective drive from the sting of the field on to the crossbar.
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 72), Konaté, van Dijk, Robertson; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch (Endo 90+1), Mac Allister; Salah, Jota (Núñez 72), Díaz (Gakpo 72)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Gomez, Elliott, Tsimikas, Quansah
Brentford: Flekken; Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Roerslev, Janelt (Onyeka 73), Nørgaard, Jensen (Carvalho 66), Lewis-Potter (Damsgaard 66); Mbeumo, Wissa (Schade 73)
Subs not used: Valdimarsson, van den Berg, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Trevitt
Frank: Our greatest half of soccer at Anfield
Brentford head coach Thomas Frank assessed his aspect’s defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, the place he was significantly happy with the Bees’ first-half efficiency on Merseyside.
“It was a recreation of two halves. First half, I assumed we had been excellent and it was very even – it was an excellent match truly,” stated Frank.
“We pressed properly, we defended properly and we restricted Liverpool; they principally had nothing in addition to their aim, which got here from our nook.
“We had been this near the primary contact after which misplaced the 50/50 on the sting of the field – we’ve got to cope with these conditions higher.
“Second half, we had been nonetheless in it – we had the Nathan Collins likelihood from the nook, which exhibits we’re a relentless menace – however then they rating after which it’s very troublesome.
“We misplaced truthful and sq., however the first half was our greatest half of soccer right here at Anfield.”
Lewis-Potter finds positives
Keane Lewis-Potter careworn that there have been positives to take from Brentford’s efficiency at Anfield.
“It’s a tricky one to take,” he stated.
“We spoke about the necessity to cease their transitions, and the primary aim was a transition from our nook.
“However we brought on them just a few issues, significantly throughout the first half on set-pieces. Within the second half, Nathan [Collins] had a header that might have modified the sport fully.
“The positives are there from the primary half. We defended properly and we did have possibilities.”