Liverpool host Brentford at Anfield on Sunday 24 May, 3pm BST, in a fixture that could prove decisive in securing Champions League qualification — the Reds needing only a point to wrap up a top-four finish and end what has been, by their standards, a complicated campaign. Brentford arrive seven points adrift but harbour slim hopes of an unlikely escape, though their dismal away record this season — just one win in five outings on the road — suggests the task is well beyond them.
Liverpool have endured a rollercoaster 2025–26. After an indifferent run of results, they have an opportunity to restore some pride by closing out at home — though their recent form offers little reassurance. The Reds fell to a damaging 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa last time out, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo on the scoresheet in a losing effort. Before that came a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea, Ryan Gravenberch equalising after just six minutes, and a 3-2 reversal at Manchester United where Szoboszlai again troubled the scoresheet in the 47th minute. According to the BBC's pre-match analysis, questions persist about Mohamed Salah's involvement and whether the forward will feature as the Reds close out the season.
Brentford, meanwhile, arrive on the back of a 2-2 home draw with Crystal Palace last Saturday, Dango Ouattara bagging a brace — the 40th and 88th minutes — to keep the Bees' faint top-four hopes alive. Yet their away form tells a starkly different story. A 3-0 hammering at Manchester City nine days prior exposed their fragility on foreign soil, and before that came a goalless draw at West Ham. In truth, Brentford's sole victory away from the Gtech Community Stadium this season came against a struggling West Ham side, winning 3-0 with Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mikkel Damsgaard on target — hardly a blueprint for success against the quality of Liverpool's Anfield defence.
Ouattara arrives in exceptional form, having scored twice in his last three outings, whilst Damsgaard chipped in against West Ham. For Liverpool, it is Gravenberch who has shown flashes of attacking intent in recent weeks, alongside Florian Wirtz and Andrew Robertson, each netting once in the Reds' last five fixtures. The problem is inconsistency — too many dropped points, too many heavy defeats — which explains why they find themselves in this position at the final whistle.
Liverpool's seven-point advantage and superior goal difference of plus-10 compared to Brentford's neutral spread tells you everything about the chasm in quality. Home form has been solid for the Reds — two wins in five — whilst away, they have crumbled badly. Brentford's road record mirrors that collapse, making this a scenario tailor-made for Liverpool to exploit. The Citizens are marginal favourites at around 56 per cent win probability, a reflection of home advantage, recent defensive troubles notwithstanding, and the fact that the Bees simply do not travel well.
Arne Slot addressed the media on Thursday and will be acutely aware that a draw suffices — a luxury few teams enjoy at this stage of the season. For Brentford, anything less than victory is a dagger; they must attack, must press, must take risks. That makes for an intriguing tactical premise, even if Liverpool's pedigree and points cushion make them the natural favourites to close out with three points. A 2-1 victory to the hosts represents the modal prediction, with both teams likely to find the back of the net given the attacking intent on both sides and Brentford's desperation — 64 per cent probability of both teams scoring.