Premier League: Liverpool face Brentford test with an eye on Champions League spot

Brentford, Jan 1 On the brink of getting into champions league contention as former winners, Liverpool would be aiming for three points when they take on lower-placed Brentford in a crucial Premier League match here on Monday.

Liverpool are currently placed sixth with 28 points from 16 matches, just two points behind Tottenham Hotspur and four behind Manchester United. The Reds will be looking to bag full points from their clash at the same time hoping that the Spurs and Man United slip up in the next few matches.

Last season, all the talk surrounding Liverpool was whether Jurgen Klopp's men could defy the odds and complete a historic quadruple. They couldn't quite get there in the end but they came mighty close.

The Reds saw off Chelsea in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals, but missed out on the Premier League title by a single point and were then beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

It seemed that success in the 2022/23 season would be a formality, but it has not worked out that way. After a come-from-behind, 2-2 draw with Fulham on the opening night of the new season, Liverpool were beaten by old rivals Manchester United and lost 3-2 to Arsenal at the Emirates as they were trailing the table-toppers by 14 points after eight rounds. They still trail leaders Arsenal (43) by 15 points and are trying to salvage their season and get as close to the top as possible.

While Roberto Firmino has been, surprisingly, the chief tormentor for Liverpool's opponents this term, it is plain to see that Klopp and Co have missed the influence of Sadio Mane, who was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer. A player who contributed 28 goal involvements in 51 games the last term was always going to be tough to replace.

Having picked up where they left off, a push for a seventh-straight top-four finish should certainly be achievable, despite strong competition from elsewhere.

Their opponents Brentford, who have made it from the lower divisions, are currently placed 10th in the standings and are looking to climb up in the standings.

INJURY ISSUES

Both teams have to tackle some injury issues to key players.

For Brentford, striker Ivan Toney is in contention to face the Reds despite departing the pitch against West Ham United in London on a stretcher.

Manager Thomas Frank confirmed there was no significant injury and that Toney could be involved on Monday.

Brentford have positive news on Kristoffer Ajer and Aaron Hickey, who both trained on Sunday but won't be involved on Monday.

Shandon Baptiste (groin) and Frank Onyeka (hamstring) are still sidelined.

Liverpool will be without Luis Diaz (knee), James Milner (muscle), Diogo Jota (calf), Curtis Jones (unspecified) and Arthur Melo (muscle) while Roberto Firmino may make his return following a muscle injury.

New signing Cody Gakpo could be available if Liverpool can get his registration completed in time.