Brentford believe they have identified an area where Liverpool can be hurt on Saturday: the midfield.

Liverpool travel to the Gtech Community Stadium after a 6-3 Champions League victory over LASK, in which Bradley Barcola scored a hat-trick and Florian Wirtz produced an encouraging performance. But the result did little to settle every question about Andoni Iraola’s side, particularly after they conceded three times in the closing stages.

The absence of Ryan Gravenberch, suspended following his dismissal against Manchester City, gives Brentford an opportunity they believe they can exploit.

“Without him I think you’re really going to struggle,” says Fin, a Brentford-focused journalist and content creator who publishes as @brentford_daily on X. “The game will be won in the midfield.”

It is a confident assessment from a supporter who is not expecting Brentford to dominate the contest. But Fin believes the hosts’ physicality, intensity and ability to press aggressively could make them an awkward opponent for a Liverpool side still searching for consistency.

Brentford’s start to the season has offered encouragement. They remain unbeaten across all competitions, although their league position reflects a campaign that has not yet translated into a sustained run of victories.

Their recent draw with Aston Villa was a case in point. Brentford took a point, but Fin believes they were fortunate to do so.

“Against Aston Villa I thought we were quite lucky to get a point,” he says. “I think they were better than us. We scored first and we held on until the end and they hit the crossbar at the end. I think we managed to get away with one there.”

That assessment gives a useful insight into Brentford’s mindset before facing Liverpool. Fin is not suggesting his side have been consistently superior to their opponents; rather, he sees a team capable of remaining competitive and taking advantage of opportunities when they arise.

His expectations for Saturday are similarly measured.

“From a Brentford perspective, I expect nothing,” he says. “If we get something then brilliant, if not then you won’t see me get angry and argue that we should beat this team because we’re not expected to by any means.”

Yet the lack of expectation does not mean a lack of belief. Fin thinks Brentford possess the athleticism and aggression to trouble Liverpool, particularly if the visitors struggle to establish control in the middle of the pitch.

“We line up very physically, very aggressively, very intensely in the way we compose ourselves,” he says. “We look to play the ball and have the ball-playing ability and orchestrate the play deep.”

That combination is significant. Brentford are not simply looking to turn the match into a succession of physical duels. They want to press opponents, win possession and then use their ability on the ball to dictate what happens next.

For Liverpool, the challenge will be to play through that pressure without leaving themselves vulnerable when possession is lost.

Gravenberch’s suspension forces Iraola to reconsider the balance of his midfield. The Dutchman’s ability to carry the ball through pressure, cover ground and help Liverpool progress possession has made him an important component of the side.

His replacement will not necessarily have to replicate every aspect of his game. Liverpool have other midfielders capable of controlling possession and progressing the ball. But the manager must decide how to maintain the same combination of physical presence, mobility and technical quality.

Fin believes Brentford could target precisely that uncertainty.

“Looking at the defence, it doesn’t look like confidence is coming off conceding three to LASK,” he says. “I worry for a team like Liverpool against a team like Brentford who press so intensely and look to punish you. We are so quick and athletic and agile, and we can punish you.”

The reference to Liverpool’s defensive confidence is an assessment rather than an established fact. Nevertheless, the late goals in Austria provide a reason for Iraola to examine how his team protect themselves when their attacking structure breaks down.

Brentford’s threat is not confined to winning the ball high up the pitch. Their willingness to move the ball through midfield means Liverpool could be tested both when pressing and when attempting to defend in a more settled shape.

If Liverpool cannot progress the ball cleanly, Brentford may be able to keep the visitors under pressure. If they commit too many players forward in search of control, the spaces left behind could offer the hosts opportunities to attack quickly.

The midfield battle will therefore be about more than physicality alone. Liverpool must find a way to retain their technical advantage without allowing Brentford to turn the match into the kind of open contest that could expose their defensive organisation.

Wirtz’s performance against LASK offered encouragement after a difficult period of adjustment to English football. He found space between the lines and supplied the pass for Barcola’s second goal, helping Liverpool produce the kind of attacking combinations that have not always been evident in the Premier League.

Fin believes the contrast between the two competitions is relevant.

“I think to an extent the problems Liverpool have with the German players you brought in, Wirtz and Frimpong, they look so good in the Champions League because it’s similar to the leagues they thrived in,” he says.

“The LASK game, there was a lot of space for players like Wirtz and Frimpong to get themselves into. That’s when Wirtz is at his best, whereas it’s less space and constricted in the Premier League.”

It is a pointed argument, but not an entirely dismissive one. Fin also recalls Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford last season, when he thought Wirtz had performed well despite the result.

“He could come good for you,” he says. “We shouldn’t be saying that about an £100m player because he should already be there.”

The underlying question is whether Liverpool can consistently create the conditions in which Wirtz is most effective. Against LASK, the German was able to receive the ball in space and turn towards the opposition goal. In the Premier League, he is more frequently confronted by compact defensive units and less time to make decisions.

Brentford could offer another example of that challenge. If they restrict the space around Wirtz and disrupt Liverpool’s midfield connections, he may have to influence the game through quicker combinations, intelligent movement and a greater willingness to operate in crowded areas.

That does not mean his technical qualities are unsuited to English football. It means Liverpool must find ways to make those qualities decisive against opponents who are determined to deny him room.

The danger for Liverpool is that their European victory becomes a distraction from the questions that remain. Six goals and a Barcola hat-trick were significant positives, but conceding three times in the final stages demonstrated how quickly a comfortable match can become unsettled.

The circumstances in Austria were unusual, with Iraola making changes to manage workloads during a demanding schedule. He also acknowledged that replacing both centre-backs together had not been the right decision for that particular game.

Brentford are likely to offer a different kind of test. Their pressing and athleticism could force Liverpool into uncomfortable situations, while their ability to build from deep means they can punish opponents who lose their shape.

Liverpool need to show that they can manage those phases without sacrificing the attacking intent that made them so effective against LASK. That will require the midfield to provide a platform for Wirtz and the forwards while maintaining sufficient protection when possession changes hands.

For Brentford, the opportunity is clear. Fin does not expect his side to beat Liverpool, but he believes their physicality and intensity could make the visitors vulnerable.

The question is whether Liverpool can answer that challenge without Gravenberch. If they can control the midfield, they have the attacking quality to make the difference. If they cannot, Brentford may have found the route into a match that otherwise appears to favour the visitors.