Brentford vs Liverpool LIVE!

The Reds kick off another Premier League weekend as they head to London looking to extend their lead at the top of the table to five points amid a growing threat from Manchester City. Liverpool have been boosted by the return of Mohamed Salah after injury, though at the expense of Diogo Jota who was forced off injured during the first half. That was shortly after Curtis Jones had to be replaced by Ryan Gravenberch.

Having seen Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai all sidelined, two further injuries is miserable news for Jurgen Klopp and his team. In better news, Darwin Nunez opened the scoring with a sublime chip over Bees keeper Mark Flekken, assisted by a smart, headed pass from Jota before his early substitution.

Brentford have had their chances in the first half - with Ivan Toney particularly lively and Yoane Wissa back back on the bench after the Africa Cup of Nations. It’s all set to be an intriguing second half to get the weekend action up and running. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog.

Brentford vs Liverpool latest updates

• GOAL! Gakpo wraps it up

• GOAL! Toney pulls one back

• GOAL! Salah makes it three

• GOAL! Mac Allister tuck home Salah assist

• GOAL! Nunez chips in glorious opener

Full-time!

14:32 , Alex Young

99min: Van Dijk denied by the woodwork in the closing seconds... and that’s your lot!

14:28 , Alex Young

95min: Salah is named man of the match by TNT Sports upon his return.

14:25 , Alex Young

91min: Seven minutes added on.

GOAL!

14:20 , Alex Young

86min: Right, now it is job done as Brentford gift Gakpo a fourth with yet more diabolical defending.

14:17 , Alex Young

83min: Now another penalty which looked fairly nailed on isn’t given - this time Liverpool miss out.

I clearly don’t know the rules, as both looked like fouls. Diaz denied this time.

14:13 , Alex Young

79min: Liverpool preparing their final changes as they try to take the sting out of a resurgent Brentford.

GOAL!

14:09 , Alex Young

75min: There’s the goal! Toney slams home from inside the area after Reguilon is denied.

14:07 , Alex Young

73min: Oh my word, how has that not been given as a penalty to Brentford?! Robertson barges Toney over inside the area and VAR are not interested.

Looked stonewall to me.

GOAL!

14:03 , Alex Young

68min: Salah is back in the team and back on the scoresheet. He runs through unchallenged, then holds off Collings, to beat Flekken.

Abysmal defending from Brentford.

13:59 , Alex Young

63min: Triple change for Brentford as Onyeka, Lewis-Potter and wissa are on. Norgaard, Roerslev and Maupay are off.

13:54 , Alex Young

60min: This Bradley kid is something special. He’s now driving through midfield and has a pop at goal - his second of the game - which fizzes wide.

GOAL!

13:50 , Alex Young

55min: That’s more like it. A superb pass from Salah to spot Mac Allister darting into the area, one touch to control and another to double the Reds’ lead.

13:45 , Alex Young

51min: Salah is still a bit rusty! He runs through on goal, looks certain to dink the ball over the keeper, but instead toe-pokes a shot wide.

13:44 , Alex Young

49min: First sight of goal for Liverpool in the second half as Diaz shows quick feet and fires over the bar.

Second half

13:41 , Alex Young

46min: Back up and running. Liverpool can make up to two more changes but only have one more slot to do so.

13:39 , Alex Young

Oh my, now Liverpool have lost Nunez for the second half! Gakpo is on.

13:29 , Alex Young

Brentford have a long way back in the second half, according to the football stats experts BetIdeas.

According to their AI supercomputer, there is a 78 per cent chance of Liverpool seeing out the win, with the Bees given just an 8% chance of a win. There is a 20% chance of a draw.

Half-time

13:24 , Alex Young

54min: That’s your lot for the first half.

13:22 , Alex Young

51min: Frustration from Toney as he tries to bring a cross down inside the area but miscontrols it out of play. Brentford know they’ve had chances but find themselves with a mountain to climb.

13:20 , Alex Young

49min: Almost an instant impact from Salah after a superb dash down the left from Diaz, but the Egyptian shows rustiness and can’t control the cut-back.

13:18 , Alex Young

46min: Eight minutes added on.

13:16 , Alex Young

45min: Reguilon gets booked for a sliding tackle on Bradley. Klopp puts his hands to his head, and I don’t blame him.

13:14 , Alex Young

44min: It is Salah o’clock.

13:13 , Alex Young

42min: Jota is coming off. He needs a stretcher. Is it Salah o’clock?

13:11 , Alex Young

40min: Uh oh. Jota is down and in some pain after colliding with Mac Allister.

13:07 , Alex Young

37min: Up the other end, Maupay goes does down in a heap in the Liverpool area but there’s nothing doing.

GOAL!

13:06 , Alex Young

35min: An incredible finish from Nunez, who runs through and chips the ball over Flekken after a smart headed assist from Jota.

Devastating.

13:04 , Alex Young

34min: Great defending from Collins to get his body inbetween Jota and the ball inside the area.

13:02 , Alex Young

32min: He looks like he will be OK to continue for now.

13:02 , Alex Young

31min: Break in play as Jones goes down in a heap under pressure from Norgaard. Gravenberch is getting readied just in case.

12:57 , Alex Young

27min: No real signs of sluggish from either team given it’s a lunchtime kick-off. Very entertaining so far.

12:53 , Alex Young

23min: The corner is whipped in, Endo attacks it but Brentford clear.

12:53 , Alex Young

22min: Up the other end, Jota lines up a half-volley from the edge of the area which Flekken pushes over.

12:52 , Alex Young

21min: This is end to end and Toney is looking very dangerous. This time he holds off Robertson to fire low at goal. Already his second on target and third over all.

12:48 , Alex Young

18min: Straight at the keeper.

12:48 , Alex Young

17min: Another Brentford chance as Konate trips Toney on the edge of the area. Free kick territory...

12:47 , Alex Young

15min: Straight up the other end, Brentford carve open the best chance of the game. Maupay opts against shooting to feed Toney into the area, and the striker’s shot trickles inches past the far post.

12:44 , Alex Young

12min: Liverpool starting to assert themselves after a bright start from Brentford. Lots of possession.

12:42 , Alex Young

9min: Bradley and Jota denied in quick succession by Flekken. The young right-back toe-poking a shot from the edge of the area and then Jota’s follow-up saved.

12:39 , Alex Young

7min: Superb run from Nunez, gets the better of Mee and drills a pass across goal but against Diaz isn’t on the same wavelength.

12:35 , Alex Young

4min: First chance of the game falls to Brentford, but Janelt drags his shot very, very wide.

12:34 , Alex Young

3min: Liverpool with the early possession. Nunez tries to send Diaz scampering down the flank - but his fellow South American doesn’t read the pass.

Kick-off!

12:30 , Alex Young

1min: Here we go!

12:26 , Alex Young

Here come the teams.

Jurgen Klopp to TNT Sports

12:22 , Alex Young

"We don't chase the title every day and at this moment we are top of the table, but the whole week has nothing got do with it.

"The boys don't feel the pressure, but playing in a team and contributing to a team with the quality we have is special.

"It is a young squad, but these players are a part of the project. We have to make sure we are ready today."

Odds

12:12 , Alex Young

Here’s how the bookies see this one playing out.

Brentford 7/2

Draw 13/5

Liverpool 1/2

Odds via Betfair.

12:05 , Alex Young

Just under half an hour to kick-off and still plenty of empty seats on show at the Gtech. No doubt fans having a pre-match drink before go-time.

Jurgen Klopp on TNT Sports

11:57 , Alex Young

"Trent is injured, Thiago is injured, Dom is injured, that was clear. Yesterday in training session minus one, Alisson pulled out - that's not cool.

“I don't know how many changes we made, we have to figure out how to be the worst opponent for Brentford which is tough.

"No (I don't know the severity), it's a muscle thing, we don't know, we have to wait - tomorrow or the day after we will know more."

Pinnock out as Salah a sub

11:47 , Alex Young

Brentford make one change, which is enforced, as Ajer comes into defence for the injured Pinnock. It is the first time Pinnock has missed a game in 16 months.

Onyeka and Wissa are on the bench having returned from the Africa Cup of Nations.

It's two changes for Liverpool as Bradley comes in for the injured Alexander-Arnold and Konate is available again after suspension and replaces Quansah.

Kelleher continues in goal with Alisson reportedly out with a hamstring. Salah is on the bench after overcoming his own hamstring problem.

Teams in full

11:38 , Alex Young

Brentford XI: Flekken, Collins, Ajer, Mee, Roerslev, Jensen, Norgaard, Janelt, Reguilon, Toney, Maupay

Subs: Wissa, Jorgensen, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Strakosha, Lewis-Potter, Damsgaard, Baptiste, Yarmolyuk

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Mac Allister, Endo, Jones, Jota, Nunez, Diaz

Subs: Gomez, Salah, Adrian, Gakpo, Elliott, Tsimikas, Gravenberch, McConnell, Quansah

Brentford XI

11:32 , Alex Young

...and the hosts.

Liverpool XI

11:31 , Alex Young

Mo is on the bench.

11:28 , Alex Young

Here he is.

Klopp on Szoboszlai

11:20 , Alex Young

Liverpool could yet have Dominik Szoboszlai in contention for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, while Jurgen Klopp has hit back at suggestions that Trent Alexander-Arnold was brought back too soon.

Hungarian midfielder Szoboszlai has not featured for the Reds since scoring in the 4-1 win over Chelsea in the Premier League at Anfield on January 31, having suffered the recurrence of a hamstring injury that had seen him play only twice since a prior four-match absence.

After today, Liverpool host Luton on Wednesday night before facing Chelsea again in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley next weekend.

Liverpool may have Szoboszlai back for that showdown, though Alexander-Arnold will not be fit in time.

"It's a super intense period,” Klopp - named Premier League Manager of the Month for January - told reporters on Friday. “People think now about the final, absolutely, but before that we have Brentford and Luton, I'm not thinking a second about the final yet. It's a final, yes, one game, but there are two games they cannot play.

"With Dom it will be around that time [the final], we will see how that exactly how works. With Trent maybe a week or two longer so it's not great. I would say not sure if Dom has a chance for the final, but maybe. Trent will be after."

Read more here!

11:08 , Alex Young

Mo Salah has arrived with the Liverpool squad but is not expected to start. Sounds like young Bradley is back at right-back.

10:53 , Alex Young

A little over 90 minutes until kick-off.

Head to head

10:48 , Alex Young

Liverpool have not won away to Brentford since the Bees’ return to the top flight.

Brentford wins: 4

Draws: 4

Liverpool wins: 12

Maupay aims to avoid another career abyss

10:38 , Alex Young

The New Year is barely six weeks old and already has delivered surprises aplenty, from Jurgen Klopp's announcement that he is quitting Liverpool to Maidstone's FA Cup run.

Nothing, though, has made one question whether this whole shebang might not be scripted quite like Neal Maupay's resurgence as a goalscorer. Last Saturday, Maupay played for Brentford in a 2-0 victory over Wolves without finding the target — and that was something of an anomaly.

At the start of November, the Frenchman was in the midst of a 34-game goal drought, yet his blank last time out was his first in six matches.

Indeed, if there is one metric that proves beyond doubt that something has flipped, it is that, beyond Brentford's boundaries, Maupay is a hated species. Kyle Walker, James Maddison and (predictably) Cristian Romero have all been suckered into a ding-dong of sorts with the division's premier wind-up merchant.

Read more here!

Score prediction

10:30 , Alex Young

The Bees have caused upsets at home during their time in the Premier League but this Liverpool team are on a relentless run.

Liverpool to win 3-1.

Brentford team news

10:23 , Alex Young

Brentford head coach Thomas Frank has no doubts his side will be up for the "huge challenge" today.

The Bees will have midfielder Frank Onyeka and forward Yoane Wissa available again following their return from international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Frank feels Brentford can dig deep to produce the required performance as they look to build on their win at Wolves.

"We are facing the top-of-the-league team, a team in form in many ways. They have top players and a top manager," the Bees boss said.

"I think Liverpool are the best offensive team in the league, because they are very difficult to close down when they are on it. They play in behind, they play crosses, they combine, they do one-v-ones, they are good on set-pieces.

"They have created the most xG (expected goals), which is completely aligned to how they play offensively ... It is going to be a huge challenge, but we are up for it and we believe in ourselves. We believe that we can get a result."

10:17 , Alex Young

It sounds like, as expected, Salah does not start today.

Liverpool team news

10:14 , Alex Young

Mohamed Salah is in contention to make his return.

The 31-year-old has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury a month ago while playing for Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, but he is now closing in on a comeback.

It would be a surprise if Salah came straight back into the starting lineup though, with Klopp more likely to keep faith with the front three of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez. Salah could get minutes off the bench, as he builds his fitness ahead of the Carabao Cup final next weekend.

Liverpool will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the defender facing a number of weeks on the sidelines after aggravating a knee injury.

Conor Bradley, so impressive during Alexander-Arnold’s absence last month, is expected to come into the side at right-back, having returned to the club after a period of compassionate leave following the death of his father.

Alisson Becker was set to return as well after missing the win over Burnley due to illness but a reported hamstring injury will keep the goalkeeper out for potentially a number of weeks.

The match will come too soon for Dominik Szoboszlai, who continues to battle a hamstring issue, and Thiago Alcantara is out with a muscle injury.

Where to watch Brentford vs Liverpool

10:07 , Alex Young

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 11am ahead of a 12.30pm GMT kick-off.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Discovery+ app and website.

Welcome

10:00 , Alex Young

Good evening and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Brentford and Liverpool.

The Reds are again playing on a Saturday lunchtime - Jurgen Klopp will not miss those - and can go five points clear, albeit likely only temporarily, with a victory.

Brentford are looking to spoil the mood. Kick-off is at 12.30pm, stick with us.