* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
As Arsenal no longer really count as one of the big boys, Saturday’s visit of Liverpool will be the first time one of the elite teams of English football has graced the Brentford Community Stadium with their presence this season. It promises to be bouncing.
The last time these teams clashed was in 1989, the last time in west London was 1983. Ultra-omen-driven Kopites will note that their side won the competitions they beat Brentford in those years, so a win here and the league title will be theirs.
NEW TO PADDY POWER?
Brentford v Liverpool – Saturday, September 25: 17.30
Sky Sports Premier League
But it won’t be easy, even though Thomas Frank’s side are Premier League new boys. The underlying statistics painted them as the top team in the Championship in 2020/21, and second-best the year before. This may explain why they have looked at home in the top flight in the early weeks of this campaign.
Liverpool generally have a good record in this sort of fixture under Jurgen Klopp though. The Reds have won 27 of their 35 matches against newly-promoted sides under their current manager, with 13 victories from 19 games on the road.
However, they did struggle in such matches last season, and would only have won one from six if Alisson Becker hadn’t popped up with his iconic header at The Hawthorns. But this stat also highlights how strong they normally are when not buckling under the weight of an injury crisis.
A Bet Builder on these four best bets pays at approximately 27/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Handicap betting: Liverpool to win -1
Apart from when they’ve been facing the champions of Europe, Liverpool have been pretty unstoppable this season.
They have won four consecutive away games by a three-goal margin for the first time in the history of the club and haven’t been beaten on the road in the Premier League since February.
The Bees may have enjoyed a resounding 7-0 cup win over Oldham in mid-week but Liverpool will obviously be a much sterner test. Jurgen Klopp was able to rest in his star men for their Carabao Cup Canaries clash, so the visitors should win here by at least two goals.
Both teams to score: No
Where Arsenal wilted and conceded a desperately poor goal to a long throw when they visited Brentford, it’s hard to see a Liverpool defence marshalled by Virgil van Dijk succumbing in the same fashion.
And that’s the real issue for the Bees here: how are they going to score? They’ve found the net just five times across their first five Premier League matches, with a mere two scored in open play. Only two teams in the Premier League have had fewer shots than them in 2021/22, only one side fewer shots on target.
Or to put it another way – Brentford have had fewer shots on target than Mohamed Salah has had this season, and fewer than Liverpool have mustered in their last 101 minutes of league action.
The Bees’ defence has looked solid so it’s unlikely the Reds will run riot here, but it’s hard to see where a home goal is coming from so choose ‘no’ when it comes to the Both Teams To Score market.
Diogo Jota to score
After scoring in Liverpool’s opening two matches of the season, Diogo Jota has not found the net since. Yet in those four games he has had chances worth two expected goals, with his miss in the first half against Crystal Palace last weekend probably worth about half of that.
While he’s more than a mere flat-track bully, the former Wolves man scored against bottom side Sheffield United last season, Norwich on the opening weekend of this campaign and already has three Liverpool goals against Arsenal. With a record like that and a goal very much due, Jota can break his drought by scoring here.
Shown a Card? Christian Norgaard
If you’re partial to a flutter on the card markets then the sight of Stuart Atwell, the referee for this match, will warm your cockles. Aside from everybody’s favourite flamboyant man in black, Mike Dean, Attwell averages more yellow cards per game than any other Premier League ref.
He may have his eye on Brentford’s defensive midfielder Christian Norgaard from the start. The Dane has been shown three yellow cards in his last seven appearances for club and country, including one only a minute after coming on as a substitute for his national side.
He also picked up a whopping 11 bookings in the Championship in 2019/20.
Norgaard will be kept very busy by Liverpool, especially if they look to counter when Brentford’s attacks break down. He looks ripe for a yellow card and there’s every chance Attwell will brandish one in his direction.
Brentford v Liverpool tips
Handicap betting: Liverpool to win -1
Both teams to score: No
Diogo Jota to score
Shown a Card? Christian Norgaard
A Bet Builder on these four best bets pays at approximately 27/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
NOT SURE WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT? CLICK HERE TO LEARN ALL ABOUT WHAT A BET BUILDER IS
BET BUILDER ACCA INSURANCE
If one leg of your 4+ fold Bet Builder lets you down, you get up to £/€10 back as a free bet. Customers can qualify for 1 Bet Builder Acca Insurance per day up to £/€10. The free bets will be credited by 12pm the following day.
Saturday football betting tips
- BET BUILDER: Check out this 29/1 punt for Man City v Chelsea
- BTTS ACCA: Saturday’s 16/1 four-fold from the 3pm kick-offs
- SATURDAY FOOTY ACCA: Our 28/1 bet from across Europe
Read More
- Breaking: Ted Lasso to replace Koeman as Barcelona boss
- Ange Postecoglou confident Celtic can secure Premiership top 6 spot
- Revealed: Danny Dyer was VAR official as Ronaldo denied 3 penalties at West Ham
The Paddy Power Guide To Responsible Gambling – Everything You Need To Know
