Liverpool endured another disheartening Premier League loss, falling 3-2 to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The defeat marks the club’s fourth consecutive loss in the top flight, a streak not seen since February 2021. Below is a re-evaluation of the Reds’ individual performances during the match.
Goalkeeper: Giorgi Mamardashvili – 6
The goalkeeper was blameless for all three goals conceded and managed to execute a couple of solid saves from distance. However, he was consistently challenged on his distribution throughout the contest.
Defenders
Conor Bradley – 6
He was responsible for conceding a cheap throw-in that led directly to the opening goal. His offensive contributions were scarce in the first half until a low delivery he made to the box helped initiate the move for Liverpool’s first goal. He was later substituted.
Ibrahima Konate – 5
Engaged in a constant physical duel with Igor Thiago and ensured the Brentford forward felt his presence. However, he was caught unaware for the second goal and never appeared fully settled during the match.
Virgil van Dijk – 5
Made a few vital defensive headers but faced scrutiny over his decision-making at times. He was also rather unfortunate to be penalized for a questionable foul that resulted in a penalty kick.
Milos Kerkez – 4
His positioning in the first half seemed to annoy Van Dijk, and he offered little going forward until he slipped in to score just before half-time. His performance in the second half was poor, leading to a booking and subsequent substitution.
Midfielders
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
He made efforts to push Liverpool forward during the initial phase of the game and demonstrated an excellent work rate, stepping up where many of his teammates did not. He provided a good assist for the second goal but, once again, was deployed at right-back, which seems to be a clear waste of his talents.
Curtis Jones – 7
Showcased good ball retention in congested areas and was frequently tested on his defensive capabilities. He was another player whose strong individual effort deserved more support from those around him. He was later withdrawn due to injury.
Forwards
Mohamed Salah – 5
He lost his footing when set up by Cody Gakpo and was mostly uninvolved before the break. He had one shot blocked in the second half and clearly lacked confidence, although he will take some encouragement from a well-taken late finish for the team’s second goal.
Florian Wirtz – 4
Started the game reasonably well, seeing a fair amount of the ball before squandering a great scoring opportunity. Despite his persistent effort, his influence faded badly later in the match and he was substituted.
Cody Gakpo – 5
He created one chance for Salah, cut inside for a shot that went over, and had an ambitious penalty appeal dismissed. However, his contribution dropped significantly in the second half, leading to his substitution.
Hugo Ekitike – 5
He was partly at fault for the first two Brentford goals and struggled at times to hold up the ball effectively. Despite this, he caused a nuisance near the post which inadvertently led to the creation of Liverpool’s first goal.
Substitutes
Federico Chiesa (for Gakpo 62) – 5
Failed to make any notable impression after coming on.
Andy Robertson (for Kerkez 62) – 5
Was unable to influence the game much during his time on the pitch.
Alexis Mac Allister (for Bradley 62) – 6
A welcome sight to have the Argentinian international back in action.
Rio Ngumoha (for Jones 71) – N/A
Asking the teenager to turn the game around at that point was a big ask.
Joe Gomez (for Wirtz 83) – N/A
An unrated late appearance; arguably should be featuring more often.