It’s again to Anfield, eventually! Brentford are the guests for Arne Slot‘s first aggressive house recreation as Liverpool search to make it back-to-back wins to start out the marketing campaign.
Liverpool vs. Brentford
Premier League (2) | Anfield
August 25, 2024 | 4.30pm (BST)
Anfield awaits on Sunday afternoon for the primary glimpse of Slot’s facet in aggressive motion on house soil – and there’s loads to stay up for.
The Dutchman has had per week of coaching to construct on the efficiency and end result from Ipswich and right here’s hoping the Reds have a faster begin than they did final day out!
Right here is all you must know forward of the Bees’ go to.
1. 2 Reds commerce Anfield for Brentford
Liverpool have been busy on the outgoing entrance this summer season and Brentford have been on the entrance of the queue, splashing the money on Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg.
The pair, if all their add-ons are triggered, will see Liverpool financial institution near £50 million – making for a sizeable revenue even after sell-on charges are paid to their former golf equipment.
They’re each anticipated to be obtainable for Sunday’s return to Anfield, giving them an early alternative to say a correct goodbye. We usually tend to see Carvalho get minutes, although.
“All people’s completely satisfied, until they do too effectively on Sunday,” Slot joked forward of the conflict.
2. Quansah unsure
Jarell Quansah was substituted at half-time within the opening recreation, each he and Slot talked it over and the centre-back returned to coaching as regular.
He did, nevertheless, decide up “a little bit of an damage” earlier within the week and missed coaching classes throughout the week, casting doubt over his availability for this fixture.
Ibrahima Konate is the plain one to proceed alongside Virgil van Dijk in what is anticipated to be the one change because the squad is in any other case wholesome.
3. Toney to stay out within the chilly?
There has by no means been a time when Ivan Toney hasn’t courted the curiosity of different golf equipment and this summer season isn’t any totally different, although he has but to make a transfer amid curiosity from Saudi Arabia.
He was overlooked of the squad final week regardless of being match and we anticipate the identical once more, which means Frank might be with out the striker along with Rico Henry, Igor Thiago, Josh Dasilva and Aaron Hickey.
Bryan Mbeumo, a participant many have thought of as a doable Mo Salah alternative, would be the one to observe – he opened the scoring for the Bees of their 2-1 win on the opening weekend.
Predicted XI: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, Pinnock, Ajer; Norgaard, Janelt, Jensen; Mbeumo, Wissa, Schade
4. A single change for the Reds?
Konate for Quansah is anticipated when staff information drops 75 minutes earlier than kickoff on Sunday, not only for what occurred at Ipswich but additionally for the minor damage he’s picked up.
It’s higher to be secure than sorry on the subject of health points!
Andy Robertson didn’t take pleasure in his finest efficiency final day out, however he must construct into the season after a compromised pre-season.
The Reds have good depth up prime however it’s exhausting to see previous Mo Salah, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota all beginning for the second week in a row.
Predicted XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai; Salah, Diaz, Jota
5. A “transitional season” for Brentford
The Bees completed in sixteenth spot final season, a 20-point and seven-place drop from the yr prior – however how do their supporters anticipate this marketing campaign to pan out?
Forward of the season, This Is Anfield spoke with Brentford fan Billy Grant from Beesotted, to evaluate the temper:
“This looks like a transitional season for the Bees.
“I’m hoping we don’t get a repeat of final yr’s catalogue of accidents which threatened to railroad our season.
“Ivan Toney alternative Igor Thiago getting injured for 4 months in his first outing hasn’t been an ideal begin.
“Have all our injured gamers again and signal our targets, and we’ll be in fine condition.”
You possibly can learn the Bees’ full season predictions, together with the place they suppose the Reds will end, right here.
6. Let’s not tempt destiny, however…
Liverpool haven’t misplaced their first house league recreation of a season within the final 21 years – they deal with us effectively, don’t they?
The final time the Reds misplaced their house opener was in 2003 when Chelsea managed a slender 2-1 win. It simply needed to be them, didn’t it?
Right here’s hoping that it is a good omen and never a jinx!
7. Gomez’s sturdy week in coaching
Slot was coy in his view on Joe Gomez‘s future however he did reward his centre-back for his software at coaching throughout the week having beforehand wanted to handle his coaching load:
“Yeah [his head has been in the right place] for 3 weeks. He’s labored actually exhausting since he got here again.
“He didn’t play rather a lot on the Euros and when he got here again within the first classes he couldn’t practice for the entire session, so we needed to handle his load a bit.
“That was additionally a motive why he wasn’t within the staff [at Ipswich]. This week he had a superb week when it comes to [training] load, how a lot he may do with the staff.
“He’s one of many gamers that I see new issues from and study issues from what I see from him, additionally mixed with different gamers. It’s been a superb week for him and us till now.”
8. Salah stings the Bees
There should not many opponents that Salah has not been a menace to through the years, however he definitely has been a thorn in Brentford‘s facet.
The Egyptian has scored 5 objectives in opposition to the guests in simply 406 minutes of motion, his objectives throughout 5 appearances are essentially the most by any Liverpool participant in historical past in opposition to Brentford.
On this fixture final season, Salah turned the primary Reds participant ever to attain greater than as soon as in a league recreation in opposition to the Bees.
Similar once more please, Mo!
9. The person within the center
Acquainted faces for us however not for Slot on the subject of referee appointments at Anfield – and let’s hope it stays that approach, we’ve had sufficient ref drama!
Stuart Attwell has been appointed because the referee at Anfield, Liverpool have misplaced solely one of many final 18 video games he has been answerable for. By the way, that was in opposition to Brentford…
Michael Oliver is in place as lead VAR.
10. How one can observe the match with TIA!
Liverpool vs. Brentford might be proven reside on Sky Sports activities Important Occasion within the UK, protection begins at 4pm (BST) forward of the 4.30pm kickoff.
As at all times, This Is Anfield might be right here with biased commentary on our matchday reside weblog, Harry McMullen will maintain you knowledgeable and entertained from 3.45pm.
Into these, Reds!
