Wataru Endo starts for Liverpool and 16-year-old on the bench with five midfielders missing vs Brentford

Wataru Endo makes a second Premier League start for Liverpool as they face Brentford in the Premier League.

The Reds have a midfield selection crisis, with five players missing. Ryan Gravenberch (knee) remains sidelined along with Curtis Jones (hamstring), Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Stefan Bajcetic (calf) while Alexis Mac Allister serving a one-match suspension.

As a result, Endo earns a rare outing from the outset in the league since signing from Stuttgart. He keeps hois spot from last Thursday's 3-2 Europa League loss to Toulouse, with seven changes made in total.

Alisson Becker returns in goal, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk back in defence with Kostas Tsimikas and Joel Matip keeping their spots. In midfield, Endo is partnered by Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo, who operates as a makeshift option, with Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jotra up top. Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has named 16-year-old midfielder Trey Nyoni on the bench. He signed from Leicester City in the summer transfer window. Ibou Konate and Joe Gomez are new absences.

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Szoboszlai, Endo, Gakpo; Salah, Nunez, Jota. Subs: Kelleher, Diaz, Elliott, Chambers, Scanlon, Doak, McConnell, Quansah, Nyoni.