FPL notes: Darwin v Diaz, a record shot count + Brentford positives

Continuing our romp through the Gameweek 22 fixtures, it’s now time to focus on events at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Liverpool were 2-0 winners in an entertaining game, stretching their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points.

• READ MORE: FPL notes: Saliba injury, Watkins v Duran + why Maatsen started
• READ MORE: FPL notes: Kluivert transfer rush + Howe explains his subs
• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 22 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
• EXPLORE: All the Opta player and team stats from Brentford 0-2 Liverpool

ANOTHER DIAZ BLOW AS DARWIN BRACES

Last week, we wrote how Diogo Jota‘s (£7.2m) return to fitness and goalscoring form posed a threat to Luis Diaz‘s (£7.5m) minutes ahead of Double Gameweek 24. Jota, typically, has now picked up an injury.

But there is a third pretender for the centre-forward role: good old Darwin Nunez (£7.0m).

The unpredictable Uruguayan came off the bench to bag a brace at Brentford, finishing well on both occasions.

“[Another reporter] asked me similar things before the game about Darwin and I didn’t agree then that he’s not having a good season. I think he’s having a good season, where he scores goals, he works very hard for the team, he assists. But he’s in competition with a lot of good players, so that’s why he’s not every single game on the pitch.

“But I’m very happy with him, not only because he scored today two goals – that, of course, helps – but I’m very happy with the other performances he put in for us as well.” – Arne Slot, when asked about Darwin Nunez’s perseverance and not having a good season

It came after another so-so performance from Diaz through the middle. As was the case in midweek, the Colombian doesn’t really suit being a targetman against low blocks. He grafted and wasn’t awful, drawing a good save from Mark Flekken (£4.4m) with one of six shots, but Jota is probably the man you want against bus-parkers. Whether the Portuguese attacker will be fit for Double Gameweek 24, when stingy Everton are one opponent, remains to be seen.

Regardless, Darwin’s availability is an obvious caveat to any Diaz move in FPL.

RECORD-EQUALLING SHOT TALLY

While Liverpool’s starting front three blanked, chance creation reassuringly isn’t a problem for the Reds.

A total of 37 attempts was their most in a game in nine years – and an unbeaten tally since Opta records began.

37 – Liverpool’s 37 shots against Brentford were their joint-most in a Premier League game on record (since 2003-04). The Reds failed to score with any of their first 35 shots in the match, before netting with their final two through Darwin Núñez. Gasp. pic.twitter.com/JyRMQF7z63

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 18, 2025

All of their starting outfielders bar Kostas Tsimikas (£4.6m) had at least one shot, with Dominik Szoboszlai (£6.3m) leading the way. The Hungarian international, who clipped the bar with one effort, has now had 24 attempts in his last six league starts.

Above: The leading shot-takers in Brentford v Liverpool

Mohamed Salah (£13.7m) blanked for the second Gameweek running and is still awaiting his first open-play goal of 2025. As was the case against Nottingham Forest, however, we’re talking fractions from a return: a curling shot went narrowly wide and a big chance he teed up for Cody Gakpo (£7.4m) was spurned. That was one of seven opportunities Salah supplied for others.

Salah’s expected goal involvement (xGI) is 1.42 over the last two Gameweeks, so there is still decent data behind two quieter displays.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m), slowly gathering momentum again after his Manchester United nadir, arrowed a shot narrowly wide before teeing up Darwin for the deadlock-breaker. All but one of his six attacking returns this season have come away.

POSITIVES FOR BRENTFORD

Days after holding Manchester City to a draw, Brentford did brilliantly to summon the energy to compete against the league leaders.

Let’s be honest, a lot of it was behind the ball: Ibrahima Konate‘s (£5.1m) average position was higher up the pitch than Yoane Wissa‘s (£6.2m).

And between minutes 23-73, the shot count was 1-24 in Liverpool’s favour.

But defend well the Bees did, with budget FPL defender Sepp van den Berg (£4.1m) putting in an excellent showing at centre-back. He’s now started every game he’s been available for since Gameweek 3.

There were sporadic threats at the other end, too, with Wissa missing with an early header, Bryan Mbeumo (£7.8m) having four attempts and Mikkel Damsgaard (£5.0m) agonisingly failing to make contact on a cross with the goal gaping.

“We defended well – we had to do that at times – we were good going forward, we created some good situations but we didn’t get enough out of those moments.” – Thomas Frank

If you’ve held onto your Brentford assets this long, there’s scant reason to sell now. A much more appealing run of games is coming up, certainly from Gameweek 24:

CHECK YOUR LIVE FPL RANK

If you haven’t seen it already, the beta version of our new Premium Members Area gives you a customised dashboard detailing your latest points and where you rank in the world.

You can find it via this link and you only have to type in your FPL ID number (so no password/email) to see the visuals.