Liverpool have emerged victorious in four of their past five Premier League clashes, netting at least three goals in each of those triumphs. Brentford, on the other hand, have faced defeats in seven out of their last nine league outings, with seven of these matches seeing three or more goals scored against them. Liverpool have found the back of the net three times in four out of their five Premier League encounters with Brentford.
Diogo Jota has been in fine form, scoring in four of his last six appearances, including a double at Bournemouth. The Reds have shown a particular flair for making a strong start to matches.
In this Saturday’s early kick-off, Liverpool look set to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League against a challenging Brentford team at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Despite struggling in Saturday lunchtime kick-offs last season, managing just three points from a possible 18, Jurgen Klopp’s side has turned their fortunes around this season. They’ve won three and drawn one of their four matches in the 12.30pm slot.
With Mohamed Salah expected back in the lineup, Liverpool’s attacking force, which has been prolific even in his absence, is only set to strengthen. Despite Salah’s absence due to injury and the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool’s title challenge has hardly faltered, with a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal being the only blip in their otherwise solid run post-Christmas.
With Salah’s return, Diaz, who was on the bench for Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Brentford in November, is likely to make way. Klopp’s preference for set-piece specialists in that match suggests he anticipates Brentford to play a disruptive game, aiming to score from free-kicks and corners, a strategy that saw them score 19 times last season.
This approach has previously earned Brentford points against Liverpool, including a 3-3 draw and a memorable 3-1 victory. However, Brentford’s defence appears more vulnerable this season, which could see them struggle against Liverpool’s disciplined back line, especially with the return of goalkeeper Alisson.
Jota, in particular, is a player to watch, having demonstrated his ability to trouble Brentford in the past. Betting on Liverpool to win with more than three goals in the match seems a prudent choice, given that over 2.5 goals have been scored in two-thirds of Liverpool’s matches this season, while Brentford’s home games have predominantly seen high scoring since the start of the campaign.
Backing Diogo Jota to score again is also a bet worth considering, given his recent scoring spree, including a goal from a corner in the last match against Burnley, marking his fifth goal in six games.
