Liverpool visit Brentford with Van Dijk set for double milestone

Liverpool travel to Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday for a Premier League clash with Brentford, with Virgil van Dijk poised to reach two significant personal landmarks in the same fixture.

The Liverpool captain is in line to lead the side for the 200th time, with this game also set to be his 150th Premier League appearance as skipper.

Bradley Barcola has an opportunity to make history of his own. The forward could become the first Liverpool player to score a hat-trick in back-to-back fixtures since Jack Balmer achieved the feat in November 1946.

The historical record between the clubs strongly favours the visitors. In 25 meetings across all competitions, Liverpool have scored in all but one — a 0-0 draw at Anfield in 1936 — and have won 15 of those encounters.

The specific venue has produced prolific football. The five previous Premier League meetings at Gtech Community Stadium yielded 22 goals, averaging 4.4 per game.

Brentford arrive at the match in strong form, unbeaten in all six league games this season with two wins and four draws — their best start to a top-flight campaign in nearly two decades. The Bees are also unbeaten in eight consecutive Premier League matches, the longest current run of any side in the division.

Liverpool's away record offers some confidence heading into the game. The Reds have won their last two Premier League away fixtures, keeping clean sheets in both, and are undefeated in their last four league visits to London.