Opta have backed Liverpool to end the Premier League season with a win, although Sunday’s meeting with Brentford is not the straightforward Anfield farewell many of us hoped it would be.
Arne Slot’s side go into the final day still needing to secure Champions League football, with Bournemouth three points behind us and requiring a sizeable swing to make things genuinely uncomfortable.
That means a day which should have been built entirely around Mo Salah and Andy Robertson saying goodbye now carries competitive pressure too.
According to Opta Analyst, Liverpool are still clear favourites to beat Brentford and finish the job in front of our own supporters.
Opta wrote: “Liverpool haven’t lost their final league game in any of the last 10 seasons (W7 D3), and when finishing at home, they’re unbeaten in 18 (W15 D3) – the supercomputer gives them a 51.5% chance of victory.”
That prediction offers some comfort, particularly when Brentford are given a 26.5% chance of victory despite winning the reverse fixture 3-2.
The Bees also have their own motivation, with Keith Andrews’ side starting the weekend ninth and still needing a win to stand any chance of playing European football next season.
That makes this more dangerous than a routine final-day home game, especially given Liverpool’s recent habit of turning situations which should have been under control into unnecessary stress.
Slot has already admitted that Champions League qualification has an impact on Liverpool’s summer plans, saying: “Qualification for the Champions League has impact at this club on our plans. That is definitely true.”
That comment matters because this squad needs a major reset after a season in which we’ve fallen far below the standards expected at Anfield.
The good news is that Alisson Becker and Alexander Isak are both expected to return to training ahead of Brentford, giving Slot a much-needed boost before the final match.
The emotional focus will naturally fall on Salah and Robertson, with Opta noting that the Egyptian has produced 257 goals and 119 assists in 441 Liverpool appearances, while the Scotland captain has played 377 times for the club.
If Liverpool can get the job done early, Sunday can become the farewell those two legends deserve.
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