Liverpool beat Brentford at Anfield in the second round of the new Premier League season on Sunday, courtesy of fine goals from Luis Diaz (13′) and Mohamed Salah (70′). Thus Arne Slot became the first Liverpool manager since Graeme Souness to lead the Reds to victory in his first two games in charge, after they beat Ipswich Town away in the opening round by an identical scoreline.
The teams
Slot’s first outing at Anfield saw almost the same lineup start for Liverpool as the one the previous week at Portman Road, the only change being that Ibrahima Konate, instead of Jarell Quansah, partnered Virgil van Dijk in the heart of defence.
The two centre-backs were flanked as ever by Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, in front of Alisson Becker in goal. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister paired up in the middle of the park, with Dominik Szoboszlai in a little more advanced role. Diogo Jota led the line, with Salah on his right and Diaz on his left.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank also made just one change from the team that started in their opening-round victory over Crystal Palace, but he also tweaked the formation from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2.
With Mark Flekken in goal, Kristoffer Ajer, Ethan Pinnock, and Nathan Collins formed the back line. Keane Lewis-Potter, who replaced Kevin Schade in the starting XI, slotted alongside Vitaly Janelt, Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen and Mads Roerslev Rasmussen in midfield, while in the absence of Ivan Toney, Yoan Wissa partnered Bryan Mbeumo up front.
The game
Right from the start, Liverpool sought and established control over the proceedings, pushing the visitors back and keeping the ball without major problems. And the first time Brentford looked like they might do something at the other end – a corner in the 13th minute – resulted in a Liverpool counterattack which Jota and Diaz conducted to perfection, before the Colombian winger broke into the box and slammed past Flekken.
Six minutes later, Diaz almost turned provider for Robertson, but Flekken closed the angle down and saved the shot from the Scotland captain. Soon after, Szoboszlai combined well with Alexander-Arnold on the right to set up Salah, but the Egyptian scuffed his shot and sent it harmlessly far from the target. Alexander-Arnold was the next to have a go, but his free-kick from a favourable position went over the top corner.
Brentford gradually stepped up their game afterwards and spent more time in the opposition half, but their best chance came from a set-piece situation as Mbeumo’s cross found Norgaard in the air, before the Denmark international headed just wide. Another set piece, which Flekken sent straight into the Liverpool box, ended with Jensen blasting a volley sky-high. Alexander-Arnold tried his luck again to double Liverpool’s lead in the 41st minute, but his shot picked up a deflection which took it over the bar. The last chance of the first half came to Lewis-Potter, who hit the target with a tricky shot from just outside the box, but Alisson was alert.
Liverpool regained full control after the break and created a number of chances, most notably for Robertson, but Flekken did well again. Collins threatened at the other end with a dangerous header, but Alisson excellent reflexes to keep his team ahead.
In the 59th minute, it was Collins’ turn to save his team and he did admirably, blocking Jota’s effort from six yards with a last-ditch tackle. Three minutes later, Alexander-Arnold hit the post directly from a corner, almost catching Flekken at unawares, but the Brentford goalkeeper made a fine save straight after as Konate tested him with an accurate header.
The Netherlands international was forced into a truly remarkable save in the 64th minute as Liverpool worked up a great chance for Diaz to shoot. Diaz and Jota combined well again three minutes later and this time it was the Portuguese’s turn to shoot, but Collins made another life-saving block.
And then came the 70th minute when the outcome of the match was put beyond Brentford’s reach. Incidentally, it was former Liverpool man Fabio Carvalho who lost the ball to Szoboszlai in the middle of the park. Mac Allister picked it up and included Diaz, whose pass found Salah unmarked, and there was nothing Flekken could do to prevent a second Liverpool goal this time.
Substitute Cody Gakpo came close to adding Liverpool’s third with 10 minutes to go with a long-range rocket, and from that point on, Slot’s team calmly controlled the pitch and brought the game to its end.
Slot’s front three look set
Unlike in the opening game against Ipswich, Darwin Nunez got some game time as he replaced Jota after the second goal, but the Uruguay international, who enjoyed a great Copa America tournament this summer, didn’t pose much danger for the Brentford defence. In quite a contrast, the front three that started both matches have proven themselves more than worthy of Slot’s trust.
All of Diaz, Jota and Salah have now scored (Salah twice) and assisted this season, and if their fine form continues, both Gakpo and Nunez will have to make do with a place on the bench for a while. Things have clicked the right way, and the new coach has no reason to change anything regarding his attacking choices.
The aftermath
Naturally, table rankings mean very little at this stage of the season, but for what it’s worth, Liverpool now share places two, three and four with Brighton and Arsenal, with all three teams showing six points on the board and a goal-difference of +4. Only defending Champions Manchester City have done better (+5), and these are the four teams to have won their respective matches in both rounds so far.
Liverpool fans certainly have something to look forward to, as the team under the new coach takes shape.
Meanwhile, Brentford remain on the three points they won against Crystal Palace, joining the mid-table group of six. But quite apart from that, this probably isn’t the way Frank wants his team to look on the pitch, and there is a lot of work to be done if the Bees don’t want to find themselves too close to the relegation zone when it starts to matter.
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