Opening game at anfield
It was a super opener for Arne Slots first game at his new home and the start to what is looking like a very interesting new era at Liverpool. A couple of records were broken during this game. The anfield attendance record was broken with numbers reaching 60,107 which is a new home attendance record but he Arne Slot also broke a record going back to 1992. This record was winning the manager winning their first 2 league games in charge.
Line-up
Arne Slot was unchanged from away to Ipswich with Alisson in goal, A back four of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate, Virgil Van Dijk and Andrew Robertson, A double pivot of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, Then three forwards of Mo Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz with the lone striker Diogo Jota. This new system implented at Liverpool by Slot is new and unseen in recent years with former manager Jurgen Klopp playing a 4-3-3 for the majority of his time at Liverpool. This new system and formation is fluid and always the players to have abit more freedom which seen with Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai and Mo Salah constantly roaming all across the pitch from left to rightThe gameIt was a very dominating game from Liverpools perspective as they save 62% possession, 19 shots, 8 shots on target, an XG of 2.65, 4 big chances and 550 passes completed (91% pass success rate). It took absolutely no time for the Reds to get up and running as a Ferocious counter attack started by Diogo Jota then finished off by Luis Diaz saw the Reds go 1-0 by the 13th minute mark. However Liverpool didn’t stop there as they proceeded to have another 4 shots at Brentfords net after the goal with 1 big chance aswell. Liverpool went into the break very comfortable and 1-0 up. In the second half, Liverpool were even more dominant with Mo Salah doubling their lead to 2-0 and the reds papering Brentfords net with 14 shots and also 3 big chances.
Player ratings
I think the Reds played amazingly throughout the entire game, dominant all the way through, my player ratings are Alisson (8.0) Trent Alexander-Arnold (9.0) Ibrahima Konate (9.0) Virgil Van Dijk (8.0) Andrew Robertson (8.5) Ryan Gravenberch (9.5) Alexis Mac Allister (9.0) Mo Salah (8.5) Dominik Szoboszlai (9.0) Luis Diaz (10.0) Diogo Jota (8.0) with my man of the match going to Luis Diaz