Liverpool continues its campaign by facing Brentford in match week two of the Premier League. It’s time to continue our premier league odds series with a Liverpool-Brentford prediction and pick.
Arne Slot started his Liverpool managerial tenure with a 2-0 road victory over Ipswich Town. The Dutchman now has the chance to secure his first home victory with the Reds as Brentford travels to Anfield. On paper, Slot and company should be able to take care of this fixture fairly easily, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing against Ipswich. Liverpool had no shots on target in the first half, and the Tractor Boys looked to be the more threatening side. The Reds finally woke up in the second half, though, with Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah each slotting away their first goals of the season. With that being said, Liverpool can ill afford to come out flat again.
Brentford is also coming off a victory, despite the absence of England striker Ivan Toney from the lineup. The club is considering selling the 28-year-old before next week’s transfer deadline, so don’t be surprised if he sits out again in this one. The Bees proved they could win without him, though, securing a 2-1 home win over Crystal Palace. They did get lucky to secure all three points, as they trailed in both possession (46%) and shots (nine to 14). Additionally, Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze’s free-kick goal was mistakenly disallowed by referee Sam Barrott, who called a foul at the edge of the box before the ball entered the goal. Regardless, Brentford was more decisive with its chances, which is a promising sign.
Here are the Premier League odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Premier League Odds: Liverpool-Brentford Odds
Liverpool: -450
Brentford: +1000
Draw: +600
Over 2.5 goals: -334
Under 2.5 goals: +232
How to Watch Liverpool vs. Brentford
Time: 11:30 AM ET/8:30 AM PT
TV: Peacock (NBC), Telemundo
Stream: fuboTV (Click Here for Free Trial)
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Why Liverpool Will Win
Liverpool is both the better and healthier team. The Reds have no notable ailments, while Brentford will be without forward Igor Thiago and midfielder Joshua Dasilva. Fullbacks Aaron Hickey and Rico Henry are doubtful as well, which could make the Bees vulnerable against Liverpool’s pace and quality on the flanks. Brentford has no attackers in the same stratosphere as Salah, while Jota and Luis Diaz pose threats as well. Furthermore, Joe Gomez is back training and could start next to Virgil Van Dijk in central defense, which will make it hard for the Bees to win without Toney.
Why Brentford Will Win
Brentford’s x-factor in this match will be 21-year-old attacker Fabio Carvalho, who Liverpool sold to the club a few weeks ago. The U-21 Portugal player should be extra motivated to make a difference and spite his old team, and he may be able to give tactical insight as well. The same goes for Dutch defender Sepp van den Berg, who the Bees bought from the Reds on Thursday. Additionally, goalkeeper Mark Flekken could keep Brentford in the game, as his six saves against Palace were second only to Bournemouth’s Neto across the entire league last week. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, who each scored in the contest, will get their chances as well.
Final Liverpool-Brentford Prediction & Pick
Although David has a couple of Goliath’s old pieces, it won’t be enough for an upset. A Brentford squad at full strength would have trouble at Anfield, so a wounded version also withholding its top striker is unlikely to get a result. Slot is new to Liverpool, but he’s unlikely to let the team sleepwalk through the first half again, especially against a better side than Ipswich. The Bees will challenge the Reds and have the quality to get on the scoresheet despite the unfavorable circumstances. However, another three points for Liverpool is a safe bet.
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Final Liverpool-Brentford Prediction & Pick: Liverpool ML (-450)
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