Brentford 1-2 Liverpool: Alexander Isak scores winner as Yehor Yarmoliuk and Vitaly Janelt sent off for Bees News
Alexander Isak scored on his return from injury as Liverpool fought back from a goal down to clinch a 2-1 victory over Brentford, who had Yehor Yarmoliuk and Vitaly Janelt sent off. Isak, back in the side following a thigh problem, finished clinically from Bradley Barcola's knockdown in the second half as Andoni Iraola's side bounced back from their loss to Manchester City.
Liverpool had appeared in trouble when Keane Lewis-Potter's header put Brentford in front moments after the visitors had a penalty overturned, but Yarmoliuk's moment of madness in first-half stoppage time changed the game. With only seconds remaining until the break, Yarmoliuk headbutted Jeremy Jacquet before a Liverpool corner, with referee John Brooks brandishing a straight red card for violent conduct after being sent to the pitch-side monitor by the VAR.
Liverpool made their man advantage count after the break as Victor Munoz latched onto a Florian Wirtz through ball to score a superbly-taken equaliser, before Isak completed the turnaround. Image: Victor Munoz scored Liverpool's equaliser against Brentford Brentford had a golden chance to equalise when Igor Thiago failed to convert from close range and they finished the game with nine men as Janelt was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time for a foul on Liverpool substitute Rio Ngumoha.
The victory allows Liverpool to climb above Brentford into fifth in the Premier League table but it was not without problems. Dominik Szoboszlai had to come off with another injury in the first half on his return to the side, while half-time substitute Jeremie Frimpong only lasted seven minutes before being forced off.
Iraola is now preparing to be without the duo for "some time". He confirmed Szoboszlai's injury was a recurrence of his hamstring problem and said Frimpong's issue was a new injury.
Iraola moved Munoz to right-back after Frimpong's withdrawal but it did not stop the summer signing from charging forward to score the equaliser as Liverpool punished Yarmoliuk's ill-discipline to inflict Brentford's first defeat of the campaign. Isak coming good for Liverpool Isak seems to have it in for Brentford.
His goal made it five in five games against them. Only Manchester City's Erling Haaland has a better 100 per cent hit rate against a Premier League side, with his total of six against Crystal Palace.
Only Haaland has scored more goals than Isak this season, too. The 27-year-old is up to five in the Premier League this season, despite having missed the Manchester City fixture due to injury.
Image: Alexander Isak celebrates with Bradley Barcola after firing Liverpool into a 2-1 lead He only needs one more to double his tally from last season, when injury issues and poor performances prompted questions over his £125m signing from Newcastle. Now he finally looks like the player Liverpool thought they were getting.