A manic start to Premier League matchday 19, as The Bees valiantly hold on for victory against a spirited yet frustrated Liverpool side. This victory propells Brentford up to seventh, and ends Liverpool's impressive win streak and form before today's proceedings.
Brentford on top in first period
Liverpool enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the first forty-five, as they pressed Raya's goal early doors. The London club remained calm, however, and resolutly stuck to their tactic of catching the Northerners out on the break. This worked a treat for the first period, as Brentford were getting a lot of cheap corners off of hopeful crosses. This relentlessness was soon rewarded, as Frank's side found themselves ahead after Liverpool's defender Konate was unlucky enough to put one into his own net off a cross to the near post escaped Ben Mee's reach.
This was soon added to six minutes later, but the finish from the goal-mouth scramble which followed the corner was eventually ruled out for offside by the linesman - his eagle eyes noticing Wissa standing in Alisson's net before he mopped up the loose ball. The man from the Democratic Republic of Congo might have added to his tally later, when he calmly sliced a half-volley home after smartly chesting down the cross. Unfortunately for the home fans, this one was soon was chalked off too, this time due to Mee blocking Alisson's line of sight.
First-half protagonist Wissa had not finished there however, as his determination to get on the scoresheet eventually paid off. He finally found the net after neatly finishing off a high cross, clinically punting home the header past the Brazilian Alisson, who was left uncapable to do anything to stop it. The Brentford striker would have been disappointed to go into the break with just the one goal to his name, as he could have had a hat-trick in the first half if it were not for VAR spoiling his party.
January 2, 2023
Second-half domination from Liverpool
Klopp decided enough was enough, bringing on the calvary at half-time. These changes hurt Brentford at the core and brought about immediate mayhem, with Liverpol putting the ball back into the net with barely 46 minutes on the clock courtesy of their Uruguayan talisman Darwin Nunez. His relief of breaking his current dry spell in front of goal was fittingly short-lived nevertheless, as VAR once again intervened to wipe off his strike due to a milimetrically tight offiside call, much to the visiting fans' dispair.
There was no time to breathe for Brentford, however, as they were soon under the cosh once again, this time after English duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Oxlade-Chamberlain paired up to get the ex-Southampton man on the scoresheet, and to breathe new life into the Reds. As we have come to know over recent years from this Liverpool side, they relentlessly continued for their second of the game, which was ultimately in vain, as they failed to capitalise off their unparalleled pressure.
Just as the visiting side were getting more and more frsutrated, Brentford added to their woes, doing what they did best throughout the whole game, and once again pouncing on the counter. This time it was Mbeumo who got amongst it, after a long ball was picked up by the forward, before he turned Liverpool centre-back Konate inside-out, finishing off the move by calmly slotting it past Raya.
This result leaves Brentford within spitting distance of Liverpool as they climb to 7th place. Klopp's side remain two points ahead in 6th. Next up for the London club is a tricky tie against West Ham in the cup, while Liverpool face Wolves.
January 2, 2023