Liverpool host Brentford in a crucial showdown in the race for European qualification spots.
Victory or a draw would see Liverpool secure Champions League qualification, but defeat would mean that they must hope that Bournemouth don’t achieve a seven-goal swing against Liverpool’s favour.
Brentford can secure Europa League qualification and finish seventh if they win and Brighton plus Chelsea both fail to win elsewhere, otherwise they can qualify for the UEFA Conference League via the following two scenarios;
- If Brentford win – they will finish eighth if Brighton or Chelsea win and the other drops points.
- If Brentford draw – they can finish eighth if Chelsea lose to Sunderland by five or more goals.
Team News
Alexander Isak is set to be available for Liverpool after he sat out their 4-2 loss at Aston Villa due to a minor setback following a recent muscle injury.
Alisson (muscle) and Jeremie Frimpong (hamstring) face late fitness tests.
Conor Bradley (knee), Wataru Endo (ankle), Hugo Ekitike (Achilles) and Giovanni Leoni (ACL) remain absent.
Brentford have no fresh injury concerns after their 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace.
Rico Henry (hamstring), Fabio Carvalho and Antoni Milambo (all ACL) remain sidelined
When is Kick-Off?
Liverpool host Brentford at Anfield on Sunday 24 May at 4pm BST, live on Sky Sports+ in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Liverpool have won five of their last six meetings against Brentford (W5, L1).
- Brentford are yet to claim a Premier League point away to Liverpool at Anfield after four previous visits (L4).
- Liverpool are yet to concede a Premier League goal at home to Brentford, during which they’ve scored nine goals in their four previous home clashes against the Bees.
- Arne Slot’s Reds have kept one clean sheet in their last eight matches at home (W4, D3, L1), which came in a 2-0 win over Fulham in April.
- No Brazilian player has made more blocks in Premier League this season than Brentford’s Igor Thiago (7).
Prediction
Although one point is all they need to secure Champions League qualification, I expect Liverpool to seriously go all out because this is a chance to farewell Andrew Robertson and Mohamed Salah with a victory and it would be a shame if they went out with a whimper.
My instinct however is drawn to how Steven Gerrard’s farewell played out because hopes were high with an European spot at stake, yet they threw it away with defeats in their last two games – coincidentally against London (home) and Midlands (away) based clubs albeit in reverse on this occasion.
If there is one notable difference then it’s that Liverpool are assured of European action next season thankfully but it’s a case of Champions League or Europa League, although I expect it to be the former as surely they can’t mirror what happened a decade ago for another icon’s departure.
Brentford meanwhile just need to win and hope that Sunderland do them a favour but I do think that this is a tough ask because Anfield hasn’t been kind to them, whilst their hosts will benefit from a likely electric atmosphere given that it’s Salah and Robertson’s last matches.
Although I would like to see Brentford’s Anfield hoodoo end here, I do think Liverpool on the day will avoid replicating Gerrard’s farewell and get the job done.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Brentford
Result: Liverpool 1-1 Brentford
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