Liverpool ease past Bees to go second in Premier League

Liverpool brought a three-match winless spell to an end with a 3-0 win over Brentford at Anfield to move second in the Premier League.

Action: In a controlled first-half by Liverpool, the hosts struggled to create any genuine chances, as the Bees very organized and compact in defence and managed to frustrate the Reds.

However, Jurgen Klopp's men took the lead just before the break when Fabinho converted a header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner.

Liverpool doubled their lead in the 69th minute, when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took advantage of some slack defending from the visitors to head in a second from a superb Andy Robertson cross.

Substitute Takumi Minamino, who missed a stoppage-time sitter in Liverpool's goalless draw against Arsenal on Thursday in the Carabao Cup, sealed Liverpool's win by tapping home after good work from Roberto Firmino.

Big Picture: The win moved Klopp's side above Chelsea in the table and 11 points behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand.

Liverpool, without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane who are playing at the Africa Cup of Nations, kept City just about in sight and will now turn their focus to their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday evening.

Thomas Frank's Bees remain 10 points clear of the relegation zone, sitting in 14th place, and they return to Premier League action on Wednesday when they host Manchester United at the Brentford Community Stadium.

xG: Liverpool (3.51) 3-0 (0.36) Brentford

Stat of the Day: Since the start of the 2018-19 season, only Thomas Müller (64) and Lionel Messi (47) have provided more assists in Europe's big-five leagues than Liverpool right back Trent Alexander-Arnold (42).

🗣 "It's really helpful the result today, to calm these discussions down a little bit."

Jurgen Klopp is glad Liverpool managed to win today's game to silence the talks about the team missing Salah and Mane pic.twitter.com/LAnaxHkhaB

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 16, 2022