Liverpool should leave Alexis Mac Allister out of the team and play a midfield three of Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones against Brentford, Reds expert David Lynch has argued.
The Merseysiders got back to winning ways on Wednesday with a 5-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, ending a streak of four consecutive losses.
Arne Slot will hope that his side can pick up their first win in four Premier League games on Saturday, when his side travel to the Gtech Community Stadium to take on Brentford.
When asked about team selection, Lynch urged the Dutch boss to go with a more physically robust midfield, telling Sports Mole: "In central midfield, Gravenberch has got to start, though it depends on if he's fit. Gravenberch has to be in.
"I would like to see Slot go for a Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Curtis Jones central midfield. Curtis Jones gives you that progression that you're lacking. He drops in alongside Gravenberch keeps the ball, wins his battles, which is important. You get Szoboszlai's running and the ability to support the attack.
"I would move Wirtz to the left side. I saw Jamie Carragher speak about this on Sky Sports, and he's right. There's so much about using him in that position that makes sense for Liverpool at the moment. It's too tight in that number 10 position in the Premier League for him to adapt nicely."
Jones and Szoboszlai started in midfield against Frankfurt, and given both played exceptionally well, it is hard to justify excluding either from the starting XI even if Gravenberch is declared fit for the weekend.
David Lynch YouTube image
Mohamed Salah has drawn unprecedented levels of criticism over the last weeks, with his performances on the right flank leading to question marks about his place in the XI.
Striker Alexander Isak has also faced scrutiny, and with the Swede a doubt for the weekend due to a groin injury, it appears likely that Hugo Ekitike will claim the starting spot up front
Speaking to Sports Mole, Lynch had no doubts about Salah's inclusion, though he added that others may be more deserving of a place in the lineup, saying: "Liverpool have got way too much quality to be going to Brentford and fearing that they'll turn them over. Liverpool have got to play better than they have been doing.
"Obviously Ekitike and Isak are job sharing. We might have seen Isak in for the Brentford game but the injury [means it's Ekitike]. Then on that right side, I wouldn't be against a little bit of Federico Chiesa, but I expect Slot will play Salah through this run and try and get the best out of him."
Salah has scored three goals and provided three assist in all competitions this season, but he has failed to find the back of the net in his last six games for Liverpool.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah pictured on October 4, 2025
Can Brentford exploit Liverpool's set-piece weakness?
Slot has highlighted that the Reds have had to deal with long balls in many of their games this season, with the team struggling to win battles against the likes of Manchester United and Crystal Palace.
Liverpool have also found it difficult to deal with set pieces, conceding five goals from dead-ball situations in their first eight Premier League matches.
Brentford are famously strong from such situations, and Lynch was worried about the threat they could pose on Saturday, when he told Sports Mole: "If you watched them against West Ham on Monday, which I did, then you would be very worried.
"They battered West Ham. I don't think they're going to find it as easy against Liverpool, but they are capable in that home atmosphere of making it difficult and being threatening from set pieces, which Liverpool don't look that great from at the moment.
"It's a tough one, but with the quality Liverpool can put on the pitch, they should be able to win this game. They've got to be better than they have been, and as much as that looks like a difficult one, I don't think those excuses will wash up at full time. You can get unlucky, but equally, just show the best of yourselves."
Liverpool have won their last two clashes against Brentford at the Gtech, winning 2-0 in January and 4-1 in February 2024, and a victory would be their sixth consecutive triumph against the Bees in all competitions.
> Click here to listen to the full discussion on Liverpool's game against Brentford
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