Liverpool moved up to second place in the Premier League table with a routine 3-0 win over Brentford at Anfield on Sunday, thanks to goals from Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino.
2021/2022 Premier League
3-0
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
9' CHANCE! Jota's shot wide out
14' CHANCE! Alexander-Arnold's long shot wide out
18' Yellow Card! Ajer booked
38' CLOSE! Toney's long shot inches wide
43' GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Brentford (Fabinho)
58' CLOSE! Mbeumo's shot inches wide
62' OFF THE POST! Jota nearly scores
67' MISS! Jota's shot denied
68' GOAL! Liverpool 2-0 Brentford (Oxlade-Chamberlain)
76' GOAL! Liverpool 3-0 Brentford (Minamino)
Manchester City's win over now third-placed Chelsea on Saturday underlined the defending champions' dominance in the title race but Liverpool ensured they finished the weekend how they started it, 11 points behind City with a game in hand and a trip to the Etihad still to come.
Their faint hopes of catching Pep Guardiola's side continue thanks to a first win in four games in the Premier League, with Fabinho's back-post header from a corner a minute before half-time, Oxlade-Chamberlain's diving effort in front of The Kop on 69 minutes and a gift for Minamino (77) sealing the points.
Bryan Mbeumo had almost bent in an equaliser for Brentford on 58 minutes but was just falling away as he hit his shot after turning Joel Matip and, after Diogo Jota had hit the post and been denied by a super save from Alvaro Fernandez, Liverpool finally finished off the contest.
Fabinho's opener was nothing less than the home side deserved after putting Brentford under sustained pressure for most of the first half and forcing Fernandez into a brilliant stop from Virgil van Dijk after Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold sent efforts over the bar early on.
The visitors appeared to have weathered the storm well and, with the help of some loose passes from Alexander-Arnold and Matip, caused some problems of their own as the half wore on, with Vitaly Janelt and Ivan Toney shooting off target.
But Brentford's first league game away at Liverpool since 1946 was destined to end in defeat when Oxlade-Chamberlain met Andy Robertson's superb cross.
Frustratingly for the midfielder, he was forced off with an injury soon after but a poor pass out from Fernandez allowed Roberto Firmino to pounce and tee up Minamino for a simple third meaning that, despite the absences of key men Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool just about keep City in sight.
As for Brentford, who finally recorded a shot on target in second-half stoppage time, this was their fourth defeat in five league games - and could have been heavier had Minamino finished a late chance - but they remain 10 points clear of the relegation zone, sitting in 14th place.
What's next?
Liverpool are back in action on Thursday in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final with Arsenal, live on Sky Sports Football from 7pm; kick-off 7.45pm. Brentford host Manchester United in the Premier League on Wednesday at 8pm.
Line-ups
Liverpool XI: Henderson, Matip, Alisson, Firmino, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Van Dijk, Fabinho, Robertson, Jota, Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones
Subs: Milner, Minamino, Joe Gomez, Tsimikas, Kelleher, Konate, Neco Williams, T. Morton, K. Gordon
Brentford XI: P. Jansson, C. Nørgaard, I. Toney, K. Ajer, R. Henry, Janelt, E. Pinnock, Álvaro Fernández, M. Rasmussen, S. Baptiste, B. Mbeumo
Subs: Lossl, S. Ghoddos, Sergi Canós, Y. Wissa, M. Jensen, M. Sørensen, M. Forss, M. Bidstrup, Fin Stevens