Fair to say, every Liverpool fan agrees that Saturday's trip to the Gtech Community Stadium is going to be tough. The Reds' 2-0 victory in West London in January 2025, Darwin Núñez scoring two very late goals, was a seminal moment, the day many knew their team were going to win the title under Arne Slot.
However, Liverpool have lost two of their last four visits to Brentford, including a 3-2 defeat almost a exactly a year ago to the day. Thus, with Keith Andrews' team currently fourth in the table, should ProRef's choice of referee add to the anxiety for one member of Andoni Iraola's squad in particular?
Brentford vs Liverpool: Refereeing team
- Referee: John Brooks.
- Assistant referees: Neil Davies and Akil Howson
- Fourth official: Anthony Backhouse.
- Video assistant referee: Darren England.
- Assistant video assistant referee: Gary Beswick.
John Brooks has been chosen to take charge of Saturday's clash. This will be his eighth match of the season, most-recently overseeing Coventry's 4-1 demolition of Newcastle on Monday night. Across these seven matches, he has brandished 34 yellow cards and two reds, an average of over five cards a game, despite not producing any at all during one European match.
He has so far sent off Martin Erlić of Midtjylland in a Europa League qualifier against Beşiktaş, as well as Sunderland defender Reinildo when Arsenal won at the Stadium of Light. Thus, Brooks is relatively card happy, but what can we learn from his previous Liverpool matches?
John Brooks' previous Liverpool matches as referee
- 20 December 2025: Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool - 7 yellows and 2 reds; Konaté, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister booked.
- 16 March 2025: Liverpool 1-2 Newcastle - 3 yellows; Chiesa booked.
- 20 October 2024: Liverpool 2-1 Chelsea - 7 yellows; Núñez, Konaté, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister booked.
- 17 March 2024: Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool - 5 yellows and 1 red; Kelleher, Gomez and Mac Allister booked.
- 7 January 2024: Arsenal 0-2 Liverpool - 5 yellows; Clark, Gravenberch, Elliott and Alexander-Arnold booked.
- 1 November 2023: Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool - 3 yellows; Gakpo booked.
- 27 August 2023: Newcastle 1-2 Liverpool - 3 yellows and one red; Alexander-Arnold and Núñez booked plus van Dijk sent off.
- 20 May 2023: Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa - 8 yellows; Konaté, Alexander-Anrold and Fabinho booked.
- 11 March 2023: Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool - 3 yellows; Konaté booked.
This will be the first Liverpool game for which Brooks has been the man in the middle since December. The Reds have won five of the last seven games with the 36 year old in charge, but were beaten in the EFL Cup Final by Newcastle at Wembley, as well as being dumped out the FA Cup by Manchester United at Old Trafford a year earlier during this period.
Looking at other trends, during each of Brooks' last three Liverpool Premier League games, Alexis Mac Allister has been cautioned. Whether this is pure coincidence, who is to say. Nevertheless, with Dominik Szoboszlai still a massive doubt and Ryan Gravenberch suspended, the Argentine will be key to holding midfield together, so a potential card has to be a concern.
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