Liverpool
Why Ekitiké Should Keep Liverpool’s No.9 Shirt for Now
Ekitiké’s fast start has created a clear short-term case to start; Isak needs games to recover form.
Arne Slot’s selection headache is an enviable problem: Hugo Ekitiké or Alexander Isak? The debate has intensified amid an unsettling patch of form for Liverpool, although a commanding win over Eintracht Frankfurt has offered some relief.
Ekitiké arrived on Merseyside a month before Isak and has taken immediate advantage. Since his £79 million move he has scored six times, including three in his first three appearances and one just four minutes into the Community Shield. He also returned to the scoresheet against his former employers Frankfurt midweek. Beyond goals, the 23-year-old has impressed with his work rate out of possession, his link-up play and by leading the squad for successful dribbles per 90 in the Premier League.
Isak’s start has been the opposite. The 26-year-old missed Newcastle United’s pre-season after a protracted transfer saga and only arrived on Deadline Day, which has left him short of match sharpness and fitness. He has produced two goal contributions in eight matches — a goal in the cup at Southampton and an assist at Chelsea before the October international break — but his displays have felt below the standard Liverpool paid a Premier League-record sum to secure.
When times are tough, passengers cannot be carried. Isak has looked rusty and has lacked the clinical edge expected of a player of his reputation, even if his quality remains obvious and returns can be expected with time.
Slot has frequently rotated the front line; against Frankfurt both started and it was Ekitiké who produced the more eye-catching contribution, with Isak substituted at half time. With Liverpool having spent around £204 million on centre forwards this summer and needing immediate results, selection decisions carry added weight.
Playing Isak in easier fixtures and cup ties such as the Carabao Cup fourth round with Crystal Palace is a sensible way to build his rhythm. For now, however, Ekitiké’s form and contributions give him the stronger short-term case to lead the line for Liverpool.
Brentford
Referee Injury and VAR Review Prolong Second Half at Gtech Community Stadium
Referee injury delayed the second half; VAR review produced a penalty that restored Brentford’s lead.
A referee injury and a subsequent VAR intervention extended the second half of the Premier League meeting at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday. The match was held up after the break when the original official, who had been booed off the pitch to end the first half, did not continue. Robinson came out to resume play amid audible discontent from some spectators.
The first half itself had run longer than the minimum added time. A minimum of three minutes had been signalled, but the interval ended with nearly five additional minutes. That extra time allowed Milos Kerkez to cut Liverpool’s deficit in half before the interval.
Play was halted again about 15 minutes into the second half when VAR reviewed an incident on the edge of the Liverpool penalty area. Dango Ouattara was fouled by Virgil van Dijk on the edge of the box and the decision on the pitch was initially a free kick for the hosts. Stockley Park then directed play to be stopped while the incident was scrutinised.
Following the review, officials judged the contact to have occurred on the line and awarded a penalty. Igor Thiago converted from the spot, beating Giorgi Mamardashvili and restoring the two goal lead for the hosts.
Liverpool had arrived at the fixture having snapped a four-game losing run with an emphatic midweek result against Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite that boost, they found themselves two goals down in the first half through strikes from Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade. Milos Kerkez’s late first-half effort reduced the margin, but the penalty early in the second half moved the hosts back to a two-goal advantage and overshadowed Kerkez’s contribution before the interval.
The match was defined as much by the interruptions and VAR process as by the goals, with the referee situation and the subsequent review shaping the opening stages after the break.
Analytics & Stats
Slot: Why Salah’s 2025/26 Slump May Trace Back to Alexander-Arnold’s Exit
Slot links Alexander-Arnold exit to Salah’s dip in form, urging new connections and goals. this year
Arne Slot has suggested a clear link between Liverpool’s summer changes and Mohamed Salah’s sharp reduction in attacking output this season. Salah arrives at Saturday’s trip to Brentford without a non-penalty goal in any of his previous seven Premier League appearances, the worst run of his Liverpool career, per Opta.
Opponents have openly targeted the winger, sensing he is less likely to track back and that Liverpool are less dangerous in transition. When asked whether the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid in June, had affected Salah, Slot offered a cautious acknowledgement. “Maybe his whole Liverpool [career] he played with Trent, so it could [be that],” he said. “But he’s been in promising positions often enough to score goals, maybe with Trent even more. But in general, if you have quite a few changes in the summer you have to find new connections. Mo is no exception to this.”
Every key attacking metric for Salah has declined from 2024–25 to 2025–26: goals (0.77 to 0.25), xG (0.68 to 0.30), shots (3.46 to 1.89), shots on target (1.64 to 0.76), touches in the opposition box (10.5 to 6.2), assists (0.48 to 0.25) and chances created (2.37 to 2.02). Stats provided by Opta. Correct as of Oct. 24, 2025.
Last season Alexander-Arnold delivered 147 line-breaking passes to Salah in the Premier League, a total that outstripped any other pairing in the division. Without that supply, Salah has struggled to forge a consistent rapport with a rotating line of right-backs this term.
Slot remains confident in Salah’s quality. “The way he trains, and when we do finishing drills, you cannot lose that,” he insisted. “The only thing is we have to keep bringing him into those positions and he has to bring himself into those positions.
Benchings in Europe have been a recent development. After a limp defeat to Galatasaray at the end of September, Liverpool produced a new-look frontline and romped to a 5–1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt with Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz flanking an Ekitiké-Alexander Isak double act. Slot said Salah was unhappy at being left out but viewed that reaction positively. “I hope he is not ever going to take it well, because the moment you are going to take it well then you miss the fire,” he argued.
Brentford
Liverpool seek momentum at Brentford after midweek demolition
Liverpool seek to build on 1-5 midweek win at Brentford while both sides manage injury doubts ahead
Liverpool travel to the Gtech Community Stadium aiming to extend the momentum from their midweek 1–5 win in Germany. The Reds have dropped ground in the Premier League title race and sit four points behind Arsenal; they will be eager to cut that gap to a single point before Arsenal host Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Brentford remain a difficult opponent. The Bees have shown their quality at home this season and have already taken points from Manchester United and Chelsea. They arrive having beaten West Ham United 0–2 on 20/10/25 and produced strong recent form, while summer recruits and a summer overhaul have not dulled their counter-attacking threat.
Injuries have shaped both squads. Brentford lost Antoni Milambo to an ACL injury during the October international break and he will miss the remainder of his debut campaign. Aaron Hickey is set to resume full training this weekend but will not be ready for Saturday; he could return against Crystal Palace next weekend. Gustavo Nunes and Paris Maghoma both featured for Brentford’s B team midweek and are in contention to make the bench. Liverpool will need to keep a close watch on Igor Thiago, who has five goals in eight league games this season.
Liverpool sustained two setbacks in Germany as Jeremie Frimpong suffered a hamstring injury and Alexander Isak was withdrawn with a groin problem. The Dutch full back is “not in a good place’ according to Arne Slot and Isak is a “question mark” for the weekend’s match. Alisson remains sidelined, with Giorgi Mamardashvili set to continue in goal. Ryan Gravenberch missed the win over Frankfurt and remains a doubt, while Giovanni Leoni, Jayden Danns and Stefan Bajčetić are all out long term.
Brentford predicted lineup vs. Liverpool (5-3-2): Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Yarmolyuk, Henderson, Damsgaard; Thiago, Schade.
Liverpool predicted lineup vs. Brentford (4-2-3-1): Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konaté, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitiké.
Television: United Kingdom — TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, discovery+, discovery+ App. United States — fuboTV, nbcsports.com, NBC Sports App, UNIVERSO NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, USA Network, UNIVERSO TeleXitos. Canada — DAZN, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video. Mexico — Max Mexico, Amazon Prime Video.
Liverpool will hope the demolition in Germany marks a turning point. Brentford’s direct approach and pace on the break will test the Reds’ defence, but Liverpool’s attacking form gives them a strong chance to return to winning ways after more than a month without a league victory.
