25 August 2024
Liverpool 2 Brentford 0
The Arne Slot era officially kicked off as he took charge of his first Premier League game at Anfield. Brentford were the visitors to Anfield, who themselves had made a winning start to their campaign. Ivan Benjamin Elijah Toney was not in the squad with his proposed move to Saudi Arabia gathering pace, odds available from all major sites on how long he will remain a Bees’ player for the man with the initials IBET. It says what it does on the tin.
Liverpool started on the front foot, as you would expect in front of their own fans. Jota picked the ball up in the middle of the park and spotted a pass through the centre backs into the path of Diaz. He took it in his stride and ran through on goal, slotting it in the top corner of the goal leaving Flekken with no chance whatsoever.
Anfield erupted as soon as it nestled in the net. The Columbian was involved once again as he laid it off to Robertson on the overlap in the penalty area. He looked to drill it past the Brentford keeper at his near post but he got down well to turn it behind for a corner. Slot’s side look as though they meant business with the start they had made.
In a rare attack into The Reds’ half, Mbuemo swung in a quality cross into the box to pick out skipper Norgaard. He had a free header at the near post but got such a glancing touch that it went harmlessly wide on the other side of the goal. He held his head in his hands knowing what a chance that was and that they could not expect too many of those against such opposition.
Neither side created much of any note in the first half and Arne Slot’s side went into the break with a one-nil advantage. While they had looked the more dominant of the two sides, nobody is ever in a comfortable position with such a slender lead in the Premier League. However, what was impressive was the pass completion of ‘Slot-Ball’ standing at 92%.
Into the second half and The Reds continued to probe. A ball into the box was taken on the volley by Jota and he tried an outlandish overhead kick. While it was not troubling the keeper, it dropped to Robertson at the back post who met it firmly with his head to test Flekken at the near post. He stood up to the task, palming it out for a corner.
Jensen then put a pinpoint cross into the back post and it was met by a bullet header from Collins but Alisson did brilliantly to keep it out and then gather the ball at the second time of asking. That was a warning for Slot’s side that they were only one opportunity from this game turning on its head. They needed a second goal to offer some sort of safety net.
Mac Allister then clipped a ball to the back post to find Alexander Arnold, who volleyed it across goal to Jota. The Portuguese forward looked to steer it into the net but Collins made a superb challenge, deflecting it over the crossbar for a corner. The Liverpool right back whipped in a cross from the resulting set piece, which cracked against the post and came back into play.
Salah then dribbled past his marker on the right and cut the ball back from the byline. He found Diaz, who hit a first time shot towards the bottom corner, but Flekken got down well to make a fingertip save to send it around the post. It was slick play from the hosts and would have been a great team goal but the Brentford keeper was having none of it.
The visitors brought on Carvalho, a recent purchase from Liverpool, the irony was not lost when he was pickpocketed in the middle of the park. Diaz threaded it through to Salah who took one touch to steady himself before lifting over the advancing Flekken into the far corner. Classic vibes from The Reds’ Egyptian King. The daylight Slot had been looking for in this game.
Gakpo had come off the bench, playing from the left, a position he thrives at for Netherlands. He cut inside onto his right foot and looked to bend one in the top corner from outside the box. Collins got a feint touch to it with his head and it rattled the crossbar and went over. So close to Liverpool putting the icing on the cake in this first home game for their new manager.
Despite this, Liverpool looked comfortable on the ball for the entire match and it was the sort of performance you would expect to see from Man City. None of the manic end to end stuff of the Klopp era and seemingly a far more composed approach. The Reds took all three points and continued their successful start to the league campaign under their new Dutch manager.
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