Brentford boss Thomas Frank knew exactly where credit was due. “Offensively we created some chances,” he said afterwards. “But Liverpool defended our crosses well, particularly Konate and Van Dijk.”

While Darwin Nunez will rightly command the spotlight, this was a similarly encouraging afternoon for Liverpool’s rearguard.

Not that it has been a huge concern this season. Far from it. But with the draw at Nottingham Forest underlining opposing teams haven’t needed many chances to score against the Reds of late, some questions have started being asked.

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So only a second clean sheet in the last eight Premier League games at what has been a tough venue for Liverpool in recent years will therefore have allayed some fears.

And while Alisson Becker had to make six saves, that they were mostly straight at him was due to the work of those in defence with, as Frank pointed out, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk particularly impressing.

It was by no means an easy afternoon for the duo, especially during the second half as Brentford grew in threat on the counter-attack. But with Konate taking a significant step after his return to injury, this was the partnership’s most complete performance since being reunited last month.

Transfer intrigue continues

It was the long-time problem for which Liverpool finally had an established and successful answer. Now, though, left-back is once again proving a poser.

Andy Robertson will forever be etched in the Anfield annals as a key tenet of the team that swept the board under Jurgen Klopp, but would be the first to admit his form has been erratic this campaign.

Hence, after his impact when replacing the Scot during the second half of the draw at Forest, Kostas Tsimikas was rewarded with only a third Premier League start since his shoulder injury back in December 2023.

With Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, who scored in his team’s 4-1 win at treble-chasing Newcastle United earlier on Saturday, a player of interest to Liverpool, the scrutiny has intensified on the position.

Tsimikas put pressure on himself early on up against Bryan Mbeumo by picking up a booking for tugging back the Brentford dangerman, and while there were no serious missteps it was intriguing he was among the first players hooked by Slot as Robertson featured for the final quarter as Liverpool finally made their dominance tell.

What happens in the position over the coming months will be an interesting sub-plot of the season.

Elliott sends reminder

Few Liverpool players have had quite as frustrating a campaign as Harvey Elliott, who has struggled for minutes since being sidelined for several months earlier in the campaign.

And having been left on the bench as the Reds sought in vain for a winner at Forest, this time the 21-year-old had to wait until 10 minutes from time before being thrown on by Arne Slot.

That, though, was all Elliott required, his cute pass finding Trent Alexander-Arnold in space to set up the opener before he led the counter-attack and laid on Darwin Nunez’s second himself moments later.

It was Elliott’s first Premier League assist since the final game of last season and a timely reminder to an appreciative Slot of his value.

While Dominik Szoboszlai, who again ran himself into the ground before making way for the youngster, has merited his recent place as the number 10, Elliott demonstrated the difference his guile and technique can make in unlocking defences in the final third, a trait that became increasingly apparent last term.

This, then, was the perfect manner for Liverpool to celebrate their 6,000th competitive match. Here’s to another 6,000.