Fabinho opened the scoring for Liverpool before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled the lead and substitute Takumi Minamino completed the drubbing with their third.
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Liverpool thrashed Brentford 3-0 to leapfrog Chelsea into second-spot in the Premier League points table on Sunday. Fabinho opened the scoring for the Reds on the stroke of half-time at Anfield before Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain doubled the lead after the break. Substitute Takumi Minamino completed the drubbing with Jurgen Klopp’s side’s third of the night. It was yet another convincing performance from the hosts as they managed to register 13 shots on target compared to just one from Brentford.
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Liverpool created the first real chance of the match, mid-way through the first half. Alexander-Arnold’s cross found Virgil Van Dijk, who takes a touch and strikes at goal but Brentford goalkeeper Alvaro Fernandez makes a superb save with his foot.
Van Dijk was involved again as he once again got on the end of a corner kick from Alexander-Arnold but his header went straight to the keeper. Meanwhile Van Dijk’s center-back partner Matip goes through a couple of challenges before shooting straight at Fernandez. At the other end, Brentford created a rare effort at the Liverpool goal as Toney breaks through down the left flank, cuts back for Janelt whose firm shot was saved by Alisson but the flag was up for off-side.
Liverpool took the lead a minute before the break. Arnold’s corner’s and crosses have been causing all sorts of problems to the Brentford defense and the Reds finally broke the deadlock from the right-back’s set-piece. Brentford failed to clear a corner from Arnold and the ball fell to Fabinho at the far post who slotted home to make it 1-0.
Just before the hour-mark, Brentford created a good chance as Norgaard delivered a fantastic ball into the path of Mbeumo, whose effort went just wide. And then, at the other end, Arnold lined up a shot from the edge of the box, but the ball ricocheted into the path of Diogo Jota who rattled the base of the post.
Jota created another chance as he went past his marker before testing Fernandez. The Reds doubled their lead in the 69th minute. This time around, it was the left-back Andy Robertson who created the chance. The Scotsman drove forward before delivering a superb cross for Chamberlain to head home at the far post.
Thirteen minutes from time, Minamino, who came in for Chamberlain, scored Liverpool’s third of the night. Brentford were trying to play out from the back and lost the ball inside their own box because of some high pressing from Liverpool attackers. The Japanese striker slotted home from six yards out.
It was a dominant performance from Klopp’s side and the win helped them to 45 points from 21 games, nine points behind leaders Manchester City, who defeated third-placed Chelsea 1-0 on Saturday. Meanwhile Bretford are languishing at the 14th spot with 23 points.
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