This is a bet we’re sure to revisit this season. Liverpool are masters of the tactical foul and despite collecting relatively few yellow cards last term, they ranked third in the Premier League for average fouls committed per 90 minutes (12.20).

In the Reds’ two meetings with Brentford last season, Liverpool committed over twice as many fouls as the Bees (34-16) despite dominating possession, and they were up to their old tricks again last weekend when they gave away 18 fouls against Ipswich. Back the cynical Merseysiders to kick their way through the 11-foul barrier again on Sunday.

Mo Salah sported a new haircut in Liverpool’s opener at Ipswich last weekend though the Egyptian showcased the same old sharpness when he poked home the Reds’ second goal at Portman Road, converting one of his three shots on target on the day.

Salah, who averaged a notable 1.67 shots on target per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, clocked three accurate efforts across two runouts against Brentford in 2023/24 and the classy 32-year-old adds excellent value to our bet builder as an option in the 2+ shots on target stakes again here.

Yoane Wissa’s explosive acceleration makes him a magnet for mistimed challenges and the 27-year-old was fouled a bone-bruising 1.84 times per 90 minutes in last season’s Premier League.

Wissa, who was fouled four more times on his first outing of the new campaign against Crystal Palace, was also on the receiving end in both of Brentford’s encounters with Liverpool in 2023/24. The attacker was fouled three times on each occasion and the threat he offers on transitions should make him a target for more robust tackles again on Sunday.

Like his teammate Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo could be a useful counter-attacking weapon for Brentford on Sunday – just like the Cameroonian was when the Bees last visited Anfield in November last year. Fifteen months ago, the 25-year-old unleashed three efforts at goal and he will need to hit just a third of that total this weekend for this leg of our bet build builder to land.

Mbeumo averaged 2.30 shots per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season and his pace on the break allowed him to lodge at least one strike in 10 different away assignments for the Bees. Mbeumo won’t be short on self-belief having broken his duck for the campaign against Palace last weekend and he should have opportunities to trouble Liverpool with at least one shot on Merseyside.

Diogo Jota is gearing up for a potentially prolific Premier League campaign and if the Portuguese forward can stay out of the treatment room, he looks capable of vaulting the 20-goal barrier for the Reds. The 27-year-old started the new season with a bang at Ipswich last weekend and Jota could make it two goals in as many games on Sunday.

Jota scored in last season’s corresponding fixture between Liverpool and Brentford and the versatile attacker has hit three career goals against the Bees overall during his time with Pool and his previous club, Wolves. Jota is a prime candidate in the anytime goalscorer market again on Sunday.

Christian Norgaard has been a trusted enforcer in midfield for Brentford boss Thomas Frank since the Bees earned promotion to the Premier League and the bristly Dane committed 1.47, 1.79 and 1.65 fouls per 90 minutes in each of the club’s last three top-flight campaigns.

Norgaard, who committed two or more fouls in 11 different Premier League fixtures in 2023/24, cranked up the intensity of his challenges when he last graced the pitch at Anfield in November. He gave away three free kicks on that occasion and Norgaard is priced attractively in the 2+ fouls range on Merseyside again.

Dominik Szoboszlai was given licence by Jurgen Klopp to maraud forward at will last season and the Hungarian averaged 2.37 shots per 90 for the Reds in the Premier League as a result. The attacking midfielder’s brief looks like it will be similar under Arne Slot and though he failed to find his range on the opening weekend, Szoboszlai managed to register three attempts against Ipswich at Portman Road.

Szoboszlai took part in just one of Liverpool’s encounters with Brentford last season, though he landed one of his two shots on target in that outing at Anfield and always eager to try his luck, the 23-year-old can be backed with confidence to test Bees keeper Mark Flekken at least once again on Sunday.

Always busy out of possession, Mathias Jensen attempted 2.20 tackles and committed 1.14 fouls per 90 in the Premier League for Brentford last season and the hard-running midfielder should have more defensive work to get through at Anfield on Sunday.

Jensen who gave away at least one free kick in 16 of his 32 Premier League appearances in 2023/24, was collared for a foul in Brentford’s first fixture against Crystal Palace last weekend, and he is capable of following that indiscretion with at least one more against a possession-hungry Liverpool side.