Liverpool know who will be taking charge when they travel to Brentford on Saturday, with John Brooks appointed as the referee for a game the Reds desperately need to respond in.
Brooks will oversee the 3pm kick-off at the Gtech Community Stadium, assisted by Neil Davies and Akil Howson. Anthony Backhouse is the fourth official, while Darren England will be on VAR duty, assisted by Gary Beswick.
And while referee appointments don’t usually get me too excited, this is the sort of fixture where Liverpool need to keep their heads.
Liverpool need to put Manchester City behind them
The biggest talking point going into Saturday is not the referee. It’s Liverpool’s response to that disappointing 3-0 defeat at Anfield against Manchester City.
Andoni Iraola’s side need to show that result was a setback rather than the start of a worrying pattern.
The trip to Brentford won’t be straightforward either. Keith Andrews’ side have started the season strongly and remain unbeaten in all competitions, having drawn 2-2 away to Aston Villa in their previous league outing.
Liverpool cannot afford to turn up expecting an easy afternoon.
Brentford are capable of making life uncomfortable, and the Reds will need to be sharper in possession, more decisive in the final third and much harder to play through.
Brooks has already been busy this season
Brooks has refereed four Premier League matches so far this season, showing 20 yellow cards and one red card, according to Brentford’s official match preview. His most recent assignment was Coventry City’s 4-1 win over Newcastle United.
That doesn’t automatically tell us what sort of game Saturday will be. Every match has its own challenges, and the players’ behaviour will play a major part in how the afternoon unfolds.
Liverpool need to be disciplined, especially if Brentford make it a physical contest.
Unnecessary bookings, arguments with the officials and silly challenges are the last things Iraola needs when his team are trying to get back on track.
The last thing Liverpool need is another distraction
I want Liverpool to make the headlines for the right reasons on Saturday.
We have spent plenty of time discussing the team’s attacking struggles, the new manager’s system and the need for players to start producing more consistently.
Those conversations won’t disappear after one good result.
But a convincing performance at Brentford would at least give Liverpool something positive to build on.
The Reds need to take responsibility, win their individual battles and show the determination that has sometimes been missing this season.
John Brooks has his job to do. Liverpool have theirs.
Let’s hope the biggest talking points after the final whistle are Liverpool’s performance and three valuable points — rather than decisions that could have been avoided by keeping our discipline.
Saturday is an opportunity for Iraola’s team to respond.
Now they need to take it.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
Leave a Reply