Well, Liverpool endured a relatively difficult first half at Anfield this afternoon.
Brentford came to visit Merseyside and looked like earning a 0-0 draw at the break following some brilliant defensive work.
But Fabinho nodded Liverpool into a narrow advantage from a corner, minutes before the half-time whistle.
Prior to that, Jurgen Klopp’s outfit were being frustrated in a major way – and their former player, Stephen Warnock, believes that was epitomised by an on-field argument between Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk.
According to Warnock, the two Liverpool stars were having a disagreement about how to penetrate the visitors’ ‘stubborn’ backline.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Jordan Henderson and Virgil van Dijk are having an argument about where the pass should be going and how to play this game against a stubborn Brentford backline.”
Missing Salah and Mane
As the German manager pointed out in midweek following a stalemate with 10-man Arsenal, any team in football would badly miss Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
However, during the first half this afternoon, that was particularly evident.
Liverpool were lacking both players’ guile and cuteness in and around the penalty area but, fortunately for Klopp and the home supporters, the available personnel managed to succeed without their two talisman.
On another day, however, the Merseysiders might not have survived.
Remember, this was against Brentford and the fact that Van Dijk and Henderson, two very composed personalities, were reportedly at loggerheads at one point is indicative of their reliance on Mane and Salah.
Brentford are no mugs but by the same token, they were in the Championship last season.
Liverpool will have much bigger tests without the two Senegal and Egypt inernatioinals and based on this, it doesn’t inispire confidience.
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