Liverpool vs Brentford: Starting XIs for EPL clash confirmed

Brentford have made two changes from the team that beat West Ham 3-2 last weekend.

As usual, Thomas Frank switches from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 for a test against a bigger side away from home.

So, Neal Maupay and Frank Onyeka drop to the bench, with Ben Mee and Mads Roerslev coming in.

Vitaly Janelt, who played at left-back against the Hammers, moves from that role to a three-player central midfield alongside Christian Norgaard and Mathias Jensen.

Liverpool have made seven changes from the side that was beaten by Toulouse on Thursday night.

Only Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, Wataru Endo and Cody Gakpo keep their places in the starting XI.

Jurgen Klopp has responded to his team’s midfield crisis by putting Gakpo in a deeper midfield role, with Alexis Mac Allister suspended and Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara long-term absentees.

Liverpool’s injury crisis can be visually seen by a very young bench, which includes Luis Diaz, who scored a late equaliser at Luton last weekend.

Brentford team news
Team to play Liverpool: Flekken; Collins, Pinnock, Mee; Ajer, Norgaard, Jensen, Janelt, Roerslev; Mbeumo, Wissa

Substitutes: Strakhosa, Maupay, Zanka, Ghoddos, Onyeka, Peart-Harris, Baptiste, Yarmolyuk, Olakigbe

Liverpool team news
Team to play Brentford: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Salah, Nunez, Jota

Substitutes: Kelleher, Diaz, Elliott, Chambers, Scanlon, Doak, McConnell, Quansah, Nyoni