“It is good to be back at home after three games on the road. Our games at Bournemouth and Luton were as testing as expected and produced different outcomes, but print deadlines mean I am writing these notes before our Europa League group match in Toulouse.
“Whether a game has already taken place or is still to happen, my view of our opponents does not really change. They all come with a challenge and this is most definitely true of Sunday’s opposition. Every time I watch Brentford play the thing that strikes me most is that they are a team with ideas, lots of ideas.
“This is testament to the work of Thomas Frank and his coaching staff, of course, but it reflects also on the players because they are the ones who have to implement those ideas in an unforgiving environment. So it is clear that Brentford is a club with a clear sense of identity, a vision on the pitch and a way of working which allows management and players to get the best out of one another. That’s not too bad, I would say.
“Their position in the league table this season – top half again, not too far off the European places – reflects this. I could not respect Brentford more. So I welcome Thomas, his staff and players to Anfield in the knowledge that, once again, they will not be coming here for anything else other than to give us a proper test.