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| Photo: YoTuT, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) |
Liverpool came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, ending the Bees' unbeaten start to the season in a dramatic Matchweek 7 clash that finished with the home side down to nine men.
Brentford started the day fourth in the table and unbeaten in six league games. Liverpool, ninth after last weekend's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, needed a response — and after a wild first half, two goals in eight second-half minutes gave them one. The win lifts Liverpool to 12 points and above Brentford into fifth place.
The turning point
For most of the first half, this looked like Brentford's day. Bradley Barcola missed a big chance for Liverpool on 20 minutes, chipping wide when through on goal, and the Reds lost Dominik Szoboszlai to injury on 32 minutes, with youngster Trey Nyoni sent on in his place.
Then came a chaotic few minutes before the break. On 43 minutes, Liverpool were awarded a penalty for a challenge on Alexis Mac Allister — but the decision was correctly overturned after a review showed Dango Ouattara had played the ball. Sixty seconds later, Brentford were in front: Igor Thiago crossed from the right and Keane Lewis-Potter powered a header past Alisson to make it 1-0.
But deep in first-half stoppage time, the game changed completely. Before a Liverpool corner, Yehor Yarmoliuk headbutted Jeremy Jacquet off the ball. Referee John Brooks was sent to the pitchside monitor by the VAR and showed a straight red card for violent conduct on 45+8 minutes. Brentford led — but had to play the whole second half with ten men.
The goals
Liverpool made the extra man count after the break, even after half-time substitute Jeremie Frimpong lasted only seven minutes before going off injured himself, with Rio Ngumoha replacing him and Victor Munoz moving to right-back.
On 62 minutes, the equaliser arrived. Florian Wirtz slipped a clever through ball to Munoz, who cut inside and finished superbly into the bottom corner. 1-1, and all the momentum was with Liverpool.
Eight minutes later, the turnaround was complete. Mac Allister crossed to the back post, Barcola headed the ball down, and Alexander Isak — back in the side after a thigh problem — took a touch and finished clinically to make it 2-1 on 70 minutes. "I was waiting for my moment," the striker said afterwards.
Brentford, to their credit, refused to fold. Igor Thiago missed a golden close-range chance to level on 73 minutes, and Barcola curled a shot against the crossbar at the other end. But in stoppage time, Brentford's fight finally ran out of road: Vitaly Janelt, already booked, tripped the racing Ngumoha on the edge of the box on 90+2 minutes and was shown a second yellow card. Nine men, and no way back.
What it means
Brentford's unbeaten run is over — a first defeat of the season after two wins and four draws — and they stay on 10 points. It was a brave performance, but Yarmoliuk's moment of madness will haunt them: for 45 minutes they were the better side.
For Liverpool, this was the perfect answer to the City defeat, following their 6-3 Champions League win at LASK Linz in midweek. They climb to fifth on 12 points, above Brentford. The worry is the injury list: Szoboszlai and Frimpong both forced off, on top of Ryan Gravenberch's suspension today.
Next up, Liverpool host Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday night, before Brighton visit Anfield in the Premier League next Sunday. Brentford travel to Hull City next Sunday looking to bounce back.
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