Jurgen Klopp’s last dance was performed by tired limbs. Liverpool’s injury list continues to grow, and if the reason for Klopp’s departure is that he is exhausted, then his players may be exhausted as well. Victory at Brentford kept Liverpool top of the Premier League, but only after Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez (who scored the opener) and Diogo Jota (who provided the goals) ) and other important players were injured. “As long as we have 11 players we will give it our all,” Klopp said after watching Liverpool play what he described as “a very good game in difficult circumstances”.
While Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne look as fresh as spring lambs, Klopp’s squad is stretched to its limits. At least Mohamed Salah, who came on as an emergency first-half substitute, bounced back into form and provided the assist for Alexis McAllister before scoring Liverpool’s third goal, making his return very timely. Upon arrival, he looked a little rusty at first, including when his foot got tangled early in the second half. But normal service was soon restored, eliminating what his manager claimed was an “unsavory” opponent.
Even before those injuries, Thomas Frank might have been feeling something akin to the blood of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup selections a week before this season’s final. After missing eight games, Salah was deemed fit only for the bench. Liverpool got off to a shaky start and Brentford had plenty of chances early on, first from Vitali Jarnett and then from Sergio Reguilon. Neal Maupay lived up to his shy reputation, opting to pass rather than shoot. He did better when assisting Ivan Toni, but his strike partner struggled and his shot went wide. Next, Toni’s free-kick in a promising position was struck almost as softly. When Toni was sent in for a one-on-one by Maupay, Toni shot directly at Kouihin Kelleher. One chance was missed in the first half, not particularly positive marketing for a valuable asset.
Without Ethan Pinnock – “our best defender” according to their coach – for the first time in 53 games, Frank’s resources were stretched thin: “Our starting lineup hasn’t played a game.” Last week’s win against Wolves calmed relegation fears but as Conor Bradley returns from compassionate leave and continues his search for a gem, he suddenly sees Luis Diaz’s film , he realized that, regardless of personnel, Liverpool had real dangers. “I’m over the moon for him,” Klopp said of Bradley’s return. “very special.”
On a smaller scale, Frank’s side are undergoing a similar, necessary change from heavy metal to progression that Liverpool previously made under Klopp. This season, their freshness has seriously faded, and this defeat contains multiple regrets. Before Nunez’s goal, Brentford actually looked more likely to be the scorers. “We had a great first 35 minutes,” Frank said. “On a different day, we’ll have that calm quality.”
The match featured the Route 1 goal cherished at Wimbledon in the late 1980s. Virgil van Dijk fired the second from inside his own area after Mark Flecken’s free-kick. Jota nodded and Nunez was in space. The ball tossing effect is incredibly cool. Liverpool fans have seen the Uruguayan miss easier chances. “This is the first goal we’ve conceded from an offensive set piece in two years,” Frank lamented.
Liverpool’s joy was tempered by the almost immediate departure of Jota with a knee injury so severe that the striker was unable to stand. Nunez’s withdrawal at half-time further increased the workload of the medical department, and the first half statistics showed that Brentford only committed one foul.
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“Curtis can’t come on and tell you something,” Klopp said. “Usually he’ll hold on at all costs. Diogo looked probably the worst… Darwin sensed something.”
Worryingly for Frank, his team’s organization collapsed after the break. Mac Allister’s goal was accompanied by some excellent defending and Sa’ana were on the mend when Cody Gakpo kicked home another Crazy Gang-style goal from Kelleher. Salah should be the second-best shot behind Nathan Collins. After Michael Oliver made several questionable calls and the referee incited the home fans’ fury, Toni scored, latching on the rebound from Reguilon’s shot with unprecedented precision.
But there was no exciting reversal. A mistake from Salman Godos allowed Dias to set up Gakpo for an easy scoreline, but it didn’t reflect Liverpool’s human cost.
