Liverpool vs Brentford LIVE: Premier League latest score and goal updates as Alisson makes sharp save

For now, though, Brentford’s likeliest route to a goal might be from these set pieces. Again they play the corner short but the eventual ball in is a good’un, and Nathan Collins forces Alisson into a save, the goalkeeper flapping two hands in front of his face as if leaping at a volleyball net.

There remains good energy to this game as we tick towards the time where both managers might start to consider the options behind them on the bench. Brentford do have Kevin Schade, good last week, held in reserve if they want to change things and go with a more attacking system.

A deflected Mbeumo effort earns Brentford a corner, allowing Ajer and the rest of the large men a chance to make more leisurely progress forward. With the redwoods standing tall in a thicket in the box, it’s a surprise that Brentford play the ball short, and all the more so when they produce a meek delivery that Liverpool tonk away.

Brentford now launch from deep, Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo finding themselves in the unlikely company of Kristoffer Ajer. The giant left-back advances like a stilt-walker, though his long strides are in vain with the front two electing to ignore his charge through the centre to instead continue their adventure up the right. Eventually, it all runs out of steam.

Kept out! Not, perhaps, a traditional save from Mark Flekken, but a mightily vauable one. He takes a header from Andy Robertson right in the kisser, the Scottish full-back latching on to an overhead kick from Diogo Jota and almost scoring Liverpool’s second. A poleaxed Flekken is checked over by the medics but ok to continue, and Brentford clear the corner.

Nathan Collins takes a painful elbow to the nose from Diogo Jota, the Portuguese forward throwing his arm back as the pair jostle for a hoist. Just a free kick, the officials conclude, with VAR Michael Oliver concurring without need for a check.

And we are going again at Anfield.

It’s more than seven years since Liverpool last lost a Premier League game at Anfield having scored the opening goal, and Brentford remain yet to register at this ground – Arne Slot’s side are firm favourites, even if they haven’t maybe yet had the control they would have liked to.

Lively enough football at Anfield, with both sides using a slick surface to work their passing patterns. Liverpool have the game’s only goal so far, striking brilliantly on the counter-attack after a Brentford corner, but the visitors have matched them stride for stride otherwise even if neither goalkeeper has yet been consistently troubled.