Liverpool boss Slot feeling no nerves ahead of Anfield bow

Arne Slot is not feeling the pressure ahead of his first Premier League match in charge of Liverpool at Anfield.

Liverpool beat Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road in Slot’s first competitive game last week.

Now attention turns to Anfield, with the Reds hosting Brentford on Sunday.

Slot is aiming to become the first Liverpool boss since Graeme Souness in April 1991 to win his opening two league matches, but the Dutchman is not nervous ahead of his competitive Anfield bow.

He said: “I’m hoping the fans can be twice as loud then as the Ipswich fans.

“I am not nervous at all, certainly not at this moment because I’m in the middle of preparation, prepare the team for Sunday and no nerves.

“It wouldn’t be a good thing if you have nerves. I trust what me and my staff do to prepare the team in the best possible way.”

Our first #PL home match against Brentford back in 21/22 pic.twitter.com/GJeVHZ0K6R

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 24, 2024

Slot also says he is constantly learning about Liverpool’s squad.

“I’m learning every day about the players as individuals and how they play together,” Slot said.

“I learned last weekend how the players that didn’t play on Saturday trained well on Sunday. They brought in a good training session.

“That will help them and us. I am still learning new things with the players. It is normal, I have only worked with them for three weeks.”

Brentford beat Crystal Palace in their opening game, with the Bees winning 2-1 despite the absence of Ivan Toney, who was left out due to uncertainty over his immediate future.

Thomas Frank suggested the striker could be involved at Anfield, though acknowledged the situation over whether he stays or is sold is still unclear.

“Ivan trained the whole week, trained with a good attitude in every aspect. He could be involved, he could not be involved,” Frank said.

“He could be here after the 30th [August] and he could not be here. Basically, everything is up in the air.

“I’ve said the whole time that if he’s here I’m very happy, if he’s not here then I’m happy on his behalf.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

Salah scored and assisted in Liverpool’s 2-0 Premier League win over Ipswich on MD1, the 32nd time he has done so in a game in the competition, level with Thierry Henry.

Only Wayne Rooney has both scored and assisted in more games in the history of the competition (36 games).

The Egyptian King. Simply incredible. pic.twitter.com/4R55moGwPK

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 17, 2024

Brentford – Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo could make his 100th Premier League appearance in this game, becoming the fourth Brentford player to hit that mark.

The forward averages a goal or assist every 108 minutes in games he plays without Toney (14 goals, eight assists), compared to a goal involvement every 250 minutes in matches that feature him (nine goals, 13 assists).

MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

Brentford’s last away Premier League match of 2023-24 was a 2-1 win at Bournemouth – the Bees have not won consecutive away games since winning their final away game of 2022-23 (3-1 vs Tottenham) and first away game of 2023-24 (3-0 vs Fulham).

Liverpool are looking to start their Premier League season with two consecutive wins for the first time since 2021-22, a season in which they started with an away win at a newly promoted East Anglian team (3-0 vs Norwich City).

The Reds have lost just two of their last 61 Premier League home games (W46 D13), while they have not lost at Anfield in the opening month of the season since 2015 (0-3 v West Ham).

In a run stretching back to 1939, Liverpool have won each of their last five home games against Brentford, keeping a clean sheet each time so it is no surprise to see Slot’s team are the overwhelming favourites.

Brentford have won just one of their six Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D1 L4). At least one team has scored 3+ goals in five of those six games, with the exception being a 1-0 win for the Reds in May 2023.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Liverpool – 71.2%

Brentford – 12.6%

Draw – 16.2%