Will Schade, Schuster be available? Predicted Brentford lineup vs. Liverpool
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Brentford could be without up to seven players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Bees are sweating over the fitness of Kevin Schade (shoulder) and Jannik Schuster (ankle) who were both forced off with injured in the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa last weekend.
Mikkel Damsgaard (ankle) and Nathan Collins (calf) will also be assessed ahead of kickoff, while Antoni Milambo (knee), Josh Dasilva (thigh) and Kaye Furo (unspecified) remain in the treatment room.
In the potential absence of Schade, who scored in home and away games against Liverpool last season, Dango Ouattara could be handed a start on the left side of attack as Jaidon Anthony continues on the right in support of central striker Igor Thiago.
Keane Lewis-Potter played in an advanced midfield role last weekend, but the return to fitness of Mathias Jensen could see him recalled to link up with Yehor Yarmolyuk and Vitaly Janelt in a three-man midfield. Mamadou Sangare is another option at Keith Andrews’s disposal.
Lewis-Potter could therefore battle with El Hadji Malick Diouf for a start at left-back, while long-throw specialist Michael Kayode is expected to get the nod at right-back ahead of Aaron Hickey.
Ex-Liverpool youngster Sepp van den Berg recovered from injury to watch on as an unused substitute last time out, and he could be ready to start at centre-back alongside Kristoffer Ajer – who scored the equaliser against Villa – if Schuster is not fit to feature.
Brentford possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Kayode, Van den Berg, Ajer, Lewis-Potter; Yarmolyuk, Janelt; Anthony, Jensen, Ouattara; Thiago
> Click here to see how Liverpool could line up against Brentford