Liverpool’s games against Brentford have been exciting encounters in recent years, and the stats suggest we’re in for a similar occasion on Sunday.
Heading into the last international break before Christmas, Jurgen Klopp‘s team could do with a win to send the Anfield support home happy.
Of course, three points are also crucial if they want to keep pace with potential Premier League title rivals.
As expected, Liverpool have had the better of Brentford in the past, but their meetings have been infrequent over the years.
Goals expected in a close game
Liverpool and Brentford have met 18 times in all competitions, with the Reds having scored in all but one and in each of the last 16.
The 1-0 win at Anfield last season is the only occasion in the last seven meetings that one of the sides failed to score at least three times. Liverpool managed it in five of those seven games.
No Liverpool player has scored more than once in any of the league meetings with Brentford, with the only men to do so being Ian Rush, in a League Cup meeting in 1983, and Peter Beardsley, in the F.A. Cup in 1989.
The 3-0 victory in 2022 is the only time that Liverpool have defeated the Londoners by more than two goals in a league fixture.
Liverpool are looking to win successive league meetings with Brentford for the first time since October 1946 – the only time they have done so. There have been five league meeting since.
The Reds have scored in each of the last 27 outings since the 0-0 draw at Chelsea in early April.
Fortress Anfield
Mo Salah has scored in every home league game this season – netting six times in five appearances.
Last season’s winner in this fixture was Salah’s 100th at Anfield, and he became the first in the club’s history to score in nine successive games at Anfield in all competitions.
In that victory, Alisson kept his 100th Liverpool clean sheet. The Reds have won all eight home games this season in league and cup, scoring 24 times in the process.
They have failed to score at least twice in only three of their 17 games this season, and have scored at least two in every Anfield match this season.
Liverpool are looking to extend their 100 percent win record at home this season in all competitions. They have won eight out of eight so far.
The Bees have not scored in their last four league visits to Anfield with the last goal being registered by Dave McCulloch in the 4-3 win in November 1937.
The Bees’ last nine league wins have all come in London, five at home and four away.
This Season’s Scorers
Liverpool: Salah 10, Jota 7, Nunez 7, Diaz 4, Gakpo 4, Gravenberch 2, Szoboszlai 2, Endo 1, Robertson 1, own goals 3
Brentford: Mbeumo 6, Jensen 4, Wissa 3, Collins 1, Ghoddos 1, Maupay 1, Norgaard 1, Pinnock 1, Schade 1, own goals 1
* Stats courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
