Brentford vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League team news and line-ups as Diogo Jota misses out through injury

The big news for Liverpool is that Diogo Jota misses out through injury, just a few days after scoring the equaliser against Nottingham Forest.

However, there is only one change to the starting eleven that began that match – Kostas Tsimikas replaces Andy Robertson at left-back.

For Brentford, there’s just one change to the side that drew 2-2 with Manchester City in midweek.

Ukrainian midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk replaces Mathias Jensen in the middle of the park, while Mbeumo, Wissa and Damsgaard lead the line once more.

Brentford XI: Flekken; Roerslev, Collins, van den Berg, Lewis-Potter; Norgaard, Janelt, Yarmoliuk; Mbeumo, Wissa, Damsgaard.

Subs: Valdimarsson, Henry, Schade, Jensen, Carvalho, Mee, Konah, Maghoma, Ji-soo.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Gakpo; Diaz.

Subs: Kelleher, Endo, Nunez, Chiesa, Jones, Elliott, Robertson, Quansah, Bradley.

Just five minutes or so until the line-ups are released at the Gtech. It sounds like Diogo Jota is a major doubt for Liverpool…

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insisted the strength of the options he has in reserve means the club do not need to add to their squad in the January transfer window, after substitute Diogo Jota earned his side a draw at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

Jota netted just 22 seconds after coming off the bench – Liverpool’s fastest goal by a substitute on record in the Premier League – heading home a corner from fellow replacement Kostas Tsimikas.

The Portuguese forward was one of four Liverpool strikers on the pitch when he cancelled out Chris Wood’s opener at the City Ground, with Italy international Federico Chiesa an unused substitute.

“I think you saw today again, that I can still strengthen the team or impact the game with the substitutions I have from the bench,” Slot said when asked whether Liverpool will have a busy January transfer window.

“And it was not for the first time this season that these players have helped us. If you looked at today, I could not have asked for more. I said to them at halftime, don’t get frustrated.

“I knew we would get chances, with the options we had. We created chance after chance late on and could have won.”

Liverpool had been linked with a surprise move for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in this transfer window, but the Georgian is off to PSG with his switch from Napoli confirmed last night.

A title race can be full of unpredictable twists and turns but last season was rare, in that the Premier League’s defining moment could be pinpointed exactly, down to the swing of Leon Bailey’s left boot in Aston Villa’s 2-0 win at Arsenal on 14 April.

Earlier that day Liverpool had lost to Crystal Palace at Anfield, and a sense of heady optimism gripped the Emirates before kick-off. Arsenal had not yet lost a Premier League game in 2024 and, with seven games to go, the title was in their hands.

But Villa had beaten Arsenal at Villa Park earlier in the campaign and were the better team again, finally earning their reward when Bailey’s low finish snuck under David Raya in the 84th minute. By the time Ollie Watkins had added a second and the full-time whistle blew, the stadium was almost empty. Everyone silently understood the cost: Manchester City had beaten Luton 5-0 the day before and their momentum felt unstoppable. Arsenal won their last six games, but so did City, who claimed the title by two points.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was keenly watching Arsenal’s win over Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby on Wednesday night, which would normally have raised transfer intrigue. There’s a more elementary explanation now, though, that has enlivened the season so far. Marinakis was watching what is currently a title rival. Forest can still call themselves that after a 1-1 draw with Liverpool that served to bring everything that bit closer. The midweek results had the feel of setting things up for the rest of the season.

Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk are all out of contract this summer and could leave on free transfers but Klopp, at his unveiling at Red Bull’s head of global soccer, said there was no chance they would join his stable of clubs, including RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg.

A very good afternoon one and all and welcome along to The Independent’s LIVE coverage of Brentford’s Premier League clash with Liverpool. Can Arne Slot’s side return to winning ways after the draw with Nottingham Forest? Or will Brentford produce another strong performance having secured a dramatic point against Manchester City in their midweek meeting?