Daniel’s Debrief: Brentford 1-4 Liverpool

It’s a big one, that.

There’s a whole load of circumstances that could combine to make it ‘one of those’ - the infamous early kick-off, losing Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker in the week, going to a tricky away ground that we’ve never won at, then losing Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones and possibly Darwin Nunez all before half-time.

And yet, there’s never a moment where Liverpool look under major duress or look likely to fail to win.

They stand up to their task brilliantly and once again, respond to adversity so well as they have done many times this season.

And players step up - Caoimhin Kelleher, Wataru Endo, Conor Bradley and Ryan Gravenberch all do well.

Remember, injuries are part of sport and it’s always a squad game. Liverpool’s depth is good enough that they’ve lost only two league games all season despite having never boasted a clean bill of health.

But that being said, losing Jones or Jota for any length of time would be a blow. Jones starts the game well and a few times is called into action when Brentford begin the game brightly.

He’s so calm on the ball and his decision-making is superb. His protection of the ball is second to none and in an away game against a side that is so physical, is such a good player to have.

Then there’s Jota, who for half an hour is the best player on the pitch by a distance. One of the most intelligent players you’ll find anywhere in this league.

His technique is tremendous and his game-awareness is first class. He produces two moments of great quality in that first half.

He goes on a mazy dribble that is so reminiscent of his Chelsea goal. What’s great about his dribbling ability is that he can take the hardest route to goal sometimes - straight down the middle - and the power of his stride and dribble can carry him through.

He tests Mark Flekken too with a ferocious effort which has to be tipped over the bar and soon provides a moment of impeccable quality when he heads Virgil Van Dijk’s clearance into the path of Darwin Nunez.

The header is absolutely incredible. To win the ball against Sergio Reguilon was impressive in itself, but to then direct the header into the path of the onrushing Nunez is one of the smartest things you’ll ever see on a football field.

The finish from Nunez is delicious. When he’s one-on-one, I don’t really fancy him but he goes for a cute chip over Flekken and the gravity of it brings it down and over the line.

Nunez and Jota were brilliant at reacting to the game state. Bizarrely, both teams were trying to do similar things, with Brentford playing fabulous one-touch football upon winning the ball and sending it long in search of Toney and Maupay.

Liverpool were doing similar, and this is where the first goal comes from, Van Dijk’s long ball which Jota does exceptionally well with.

That was the difference - Liverpool had two marvellous forwards who were reliable out-balls as they looked to counter.

Conor Bradley is another who has a really good first half and he and Andy Robertson help pin Brentford back and try to limit the influence of Mads Roerslev and Reguilon by keeping them in their own half. 

His decision-making is first-class, Bradley. It’s something I’m finding myself saying about Bradley, Jones, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah. It’s something that’s you can’t teach - the football IQ of some of these academy products is really good.

He’s got the lot technically too. There’s a shot early on which he produces and it’s an audacious effort. There’s some inverting into the centre and his carrying of the ball is really good.

I talked after the Chelsea game about his first touch and it’s this, as well as his agility and outright pace, that makes him so good in duels.

It’s a huge testament to Jurgen Klopp’s coaching that Liverpool are winning league games in a title race with Bradley and Endo - playing for League One Bolton and Bundesliga strugglers Stuttgart last season - as starters.

Endo is a key figure in the second half. Brentford get a lot of joy in the first half with passing triangles. Their midfield trio of Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen and Vitaly Janelt is so bright and the way they can play one-touch football to get out is quite remarkable.

But they get far less freedom in the second half, with Endo coming into the game and having a marvellous second 45. 

His touch map shows that he was everywhere and what he does that changes the course of the game really is tactically foul. So many times Brentford look set to counter but there he is, ready to win back possession, legally or illegally.

He is a master as a DM of walking the tightrope, and staying just on the right side of the disciplinary procedures. He is a smart player.

We don’t look at all likely to concede a goal on the break when he’s in the team, he constantly wins his battles and even when you think he won’t win them, he comes away with the ball.

There’s one in the first half where Norgaard looks genuinely astonished that Endo wins the ball from him.

His usage of the ball is so good in this game, no Liverpool player makes more passes than him on the day and the way he looks to progress the ball separates him from Lucas Leiva, a player I often see him compared to.

The second goal comes from Endo winning an aerial duel. Two substitutes for the injured Jones and Jota then combine - brilliant work from Gravenberch to control the ball and then play around Norgaard releases Mohamed Salah, and his gorgeous pass tees up Alexis Mac Allister to score.

The ball from Salah is pinpoint accuracy and is technically weighted so nicely. His playmaking has always been an underrated facet to his game and this is another example of it. 

Mac Allister’s first touch is sublime and whilst there’s a degree of fortune that it sits up nicely for him afterwards, his finish is lovely. He just flicks it home with nonchalance and the game has its killer goal.

I don’t think he has a great day, Mac Allister. He is certainly more influential when deeper but the advantage of having him as an 8 is that he can make these late runs into the box and start to get among the goals.

A goal that is beautifully constructed and one that both first-half subs have a huge impact on. 

Gravenberch has, for me, his best Liverpool performance to date. He wins more duels than any Liverpool player on the pitch despite not starting and is really effective on the half-turn.

With injuries to Szoboszlai and Jones, an increase in performance level from him would be very helpful.

Salah comes on for Jota and drops a masterclass of an attacking performance. He provides an immense level of threat down his side but also through the middle, and while his primary focus is to influence things in front of goal, he also brings a degree of control to a game that was verging on getting a bit silly.

His game intelligence is perhaps not one of his most celebrated traits, but he is really good at recognising how things are going in a match and how he can impact it accordingly.

After assisting Mac Allister, Salah puts Liverpool out of sight by reacting quickest to a Cody Gakpo flick-on and being more alert than Nathan Collins or Ben Mee, and twisting to shoot past Flekken.

Unlike Alexander-Arnold, Salah looked extremely fit and ready to contribute upon his return.

Ivan Toney scores after a move that comes from Robertson over-committing and ending up way out of position.

Not the best game from the left-back who was very lucky not to concede a penalty when barging into Toney earlier on, too.

Some praise should be given to Kelleher, despite the fact it ended up in a goal, for a great save from Reguilon, which ends up being turned home by Toney.

He has a really asssured game, Kelleher, and makes another magnificent stop earlier on too.

He’s getting an unexpected run of games and so far, has been faultless.

Luis Diaz does well to turn the ball around after some horrendous defending from Collins and Gakpo slots home calmly to round the game off.

It’s an imperious showing from Gakpo’s international team-mate Van Dijk and his partner Ibrahima Konate.

In some adversity, Liverpool deal with everything Brentford and the footballing Gods throw at them today and come away with a routine win in a game that could've been anything but routine.

Thomas Frank said after the game that Liverpool are the best team in the league.

Whether they have the first eleven of Arsenal or Manchester City is up for debate but the Reds have certainly got the best squad in the league.

Klopp has got upwards of twenty players he can call upon and feel confident in, and trust to deliver performances. 

That was a big one.

Daniel