Andy Jones, The Athletic: Salah will be on ‘one-man mission’ against Brentford | OneFootball

Brentford head to Anfield on Sunday knowing a positive result could strengthen their hopes of qualifying for Europe, while Liverpool are looking to secure a top-five finish and end the season on a high in front of their home supporters.

The game will also mark an emotional occasion on Merseyside, with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson set to make their final appearances at Anfield.

Ahead of the Premier League clash, The Athletic’s Andy Jones discussed Liverpool’s season, Salah’s determination to deliver one last memorable performance and why the Bees will pose a major threat to Arne Slot’s side.

With one game left to play, Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League. How would you summarise the way this season has gone for them?

It has been a huge disappointment. It looks like, given Bournemouth’s result against Manchester City on Tuesday night, they are going to achieve what is the bare minimum expectation for Liverpool in any season and qualify for the Champions League.

But, 12 months ago, they were celebrating winning the Premier League title, effectively at a canter and, given the business in the summer, this is not the season anybody envisaged.

Injuries have played a part, as have new players taking longer than hoped to adapt, underperformance of key players who were so crucial to the title win and then set-piece and tactical deficiencies as well.

Across the board, there have just been a number of problems Arne Slot and his players have not been able to solve across the season. They are fortunate qualification for the Champions League has dropped to fifth this season as well.

Overall, when you think of where Liverpool were 12 months ago, it has been a huge regression.

Sunday’s game is the last time Anfield will see Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson in a Liverpool shirt. How much will those two will be missed?

Hugely. You only have to look at the body of work of both over the nine years they have been at the club. They joined in the same transfer window in 2017 and have both been incredible servants.

With Salah, it has been goals, assists, the general impact and the fear he struck into opposition teams, particularly when he was in a front three with Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino who were, arguably, the best front three in the world at the time.

With Andy Robertson, it has been his intensity, his energy and the fact it has felt like he was one of the Liverpool supporters in the stands, but on the pitch.

Both leave has club legends and it is going to be sad to see them go at the weekend. It is a chance for Liverpool fans to celebrate them and what they have given to the club.

I am sure there will be a few tears in the stands and probably from the two players themselves because they leave with unbelievable legacies. They essentially won everything, and in the style Liverpool fans love to watch.

Which player should Brentford fans keep an eye out for on Sunday?

It has to be Salah, just because he is the type of player that will go out with a bang.

There is a little bit of a fitness question around him and we will find out later in the week how available he is because he has been carrying an injury. I am sure he will be doing everything he can to start the game.

He is going to want to make sure he scores on his final game at Anfield, his final game for Liverpool.

For his last Merseyside derby, there was no way he was not going to score in that game at Everton’s new stadium.

Salah finds a way to impact big games, which is what makes him such a special player. He is going to be on a one-man mission to make sure he wins the game for Liverpool and ends it the way he wants to end it.

What should Keith Andrews’ players expect in terms of shape and style?

Liverpool have switched up shapes a little bit this season. That has been related to personnel, results and performances and trying to change things and tweak things to try and find a solution to the problems they have had.

It looks like it is back to a more settled 4-2-3-1, which is Arne Slot’s go-to system and the one he has used for most of the time when he has been in charge.

Curtis Jones could potentially start at right-back, where he has been playing recently. Liverpool have had well-documented issues at right-back in terms of injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, which has meant Slot has had to use a midfielder there, which gives it a different look because of the qualities that player might have. Jones is more of a progressive passer, rather than a runner or a ball-carrier

In terms of personnel, there are not many options for Slot. The squad at the start of the season was relatively slim and has been made slimmer by injuries, especially serious injuries that have kept people out for months, with Hugo Ekitike the most recent.

There are fitness doubts about Alexander Isak – will he be available?

Salah and Florian Wirtz came back from injury and illness against Aston Villa – how far are they now another week on?

So it will be more of a personnel question, but it will be a 4-2-3-1, building up from the back and trying to hurt Brentford that way.

What’s your score prediction?

It is a really difficult one to predict. It is impossible to know which Liverpool you are going to get week-to-week.

Brentford have got their strengths, including Michael Kayode’s long throw, which broke the game open earlier in the season. They are playing for European qualification themselves, so this is not a dead rubber by any stretch of the imagination.

I will tip Liverpool to win 2-1, just because it is the last game for certain players and you would think they will find a way to win.

But it is going to be far from easy, and Brentford have got a lot of threats, starting with Igor Thiago, who can really hurt Liverpool.