Premier League: Brentford Out to Exploit the Undermanned Reds in Anfield

Liverpool vs Brentford

The Bees and the Reds will have their second meeting in this 2021/22 Premier League season, this time over at Anfield this Sunday in what promises to be another belter.

Both clubs were featured in one of the most fun matches in recent memory during their reverse fixture few months ago, so football fans can expect more Premier League 2022 highlights this weekend.

Since their previous meeting, the law of averages have caught up with both sides as Liverpool maintained their top three position with 42 points while Brentford are at the lower half of the table, placing 13^th with 23.

The circumstances, though, look much different this time around since Liverpool are expected to miss a number of players while Brentford’s roster is intact.

Liverpool and Brentford have also suffered a dip in form in these past few weeks, so a victory here would certainly give them a huge boost.

Talking Points

Liverpool’s rotation players have big shoes to fill

Jurgen Klopp is going to have limited options at his disposal as multiple players are unavailable for various reasons.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Naby Keita are all away at the Africa Cup of Nations while Thiago Alcantara, Nat Phillips, Divock Origi, and Harvey Elliott are all dealing with knocks.

The absences of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in particular is going to hurt the Reds to a large degree. Their midfield depth will take a hit too, although they still have Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson.

So we expect Diogo Jota to take charge and he’ll be joined by Takumi Minamino and Kaide Gordon might draw another start. Jota is Liverpool’s second leading scorer with 12 goals and one assist.

It’s not all bad for the Reds, though, since first choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker and full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold are cleared for COVID-19, and both will play a huge role in this fixture.

Liverpool’s 2022 results so far have featured a 2-2 draw vs. Chelsea followed by a 4-1 thrashing of Shrewsbury in the third round of the FA Cup.

Prior to this weekend fixture, the Reds also have a big game later as they’ll take on Arsenal in the EFL Cup semis.

Hungry upstarts lead the way for Brentford

Brentford’s first season back in the Premier League has been a pleasant surprise since they’ve shown no fear at all against any big club that stands in their way.

Thomas Frank has made the most out of his group despite the fact that they still have a long way to go in order to secure their top-flight status.

Leading the way up front is the strike partnership of Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo, who have accounted for 12 goals and five assists, while Vitaly Janelt and Yoane Wissa have six goals each.

The scary thing about the Bees is that all of the aforementioned players are 25 years old or under and they have yet to reach their prime.

History

The Reds and the Bees have met 10 times in five seasons during the 1930’s and 1940’s with Brentford winning in three and Liverpool winning in four along with three draws.

But since then, Liverpool and Brentford have been infrequent foes and this season is the first time that these teams are in the same division since 1947.

Sunday marks the first time that Liverpool are hosting Brentford since their FA Cup quarter-final tie in 1989. Brentford have lost their last five road games vs. Liverpool in all competitions by an aggregate tally of 12-1, and their last victory at Anfield was back in November 1937 (4-3).

Their first meeting this term saw both sides sharing the spoils via a 3-3 draw at the Brentford Community Stadium. Ethan Pinnock, Vitaly Janelt, and Yoane Wissa got on the board for the Bees while Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah, and Curtis Jones scored one each for the Reds.

Betting Tip

	Liverpool vs Brentford	Liverpool Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 2.02
	January 16, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Despite being short staffed, Liverpool are the overwhelming favourites in the SBOTOP Premier League 2022 odds. The Reds are priced at 1.34 to win, while Brentford are at 8.75 and chances for a draw are at 4.80 in the 1X2 market.

Compared to their previous meeting, Brentford seemingly have a greater chance to score the upset win, although it’s hard to look past Jurgen Klopp’s coaching acumen to lead his boys back on the winning track.

We might see a similar outcome to their reverse fixture. But in the end, Liverpool’s superiority at home speaks for itself and we’re confident to give them the edge.

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.