Liverpool were poor for 45 minutes at the Gtech Community Stadium and then won the game. Alexander Isak scored the decisive goal as Liverpool came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1, a result that owed plenty to a red card in first-half added time and left the Bees finishing with nine men.
Lewis-Potter's header, then Yarmoliuk's mistake
Brentford had been the better side. Keane Lewis-Potter headed them in front in the 44th minute with a superb finish, and Keith Andrews' unbeaten team were in control. Then came the moment that undid them. As players waited for a corner to be taken, Yehor Yarmoliuk tangled with Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet. Referee John Brooks described it as a "headbutting action" and sent the Ukraine midfielder off.
It came at a bad time. Liverpool, who had looked lacklustre, suddenly had the opening they always seemed likely to find, and Brentford spent the second half defending rather than attacking as they had done in the first.
Munoz levels, Isak finishes it
Spain winger Victor Munoz scored a fine equaliser after 62 minutes. Florian Wirtz released him, he cut inside and beat Caoimhin Kelleher with a left-foot finish. Eight minutes later Isak added the second. Bradley Barcola headed down Alexis Mac Allister's cross and the Swede struck cleanly for his fifth goal of the season. He has now scored in all five of his Premier League appearances against Brentford, five goals in total.
Isak's languid style often keeps him on the edge of games, but his habit of coming alive in the box is proving vital for head coach Andoni Iraola, especially away from Anfield. He scored twice in the 2-0 win at Ipswich Town and got the winner at Bournemouth before this one. Brentford's afternoon got worse in stoppage time when Vitaly Janelt was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Liverpool substitute Rio Ngumoha.
Injury worries for Liverpool, a first league loss for Brentford
Liverpool were not fluent, and they lost Dominik Szoboszlai to what looked like a recurrence of a hamstring problem in the first half. Jeremie Frimpong then went off only seven minutes after coming on as a substitute at the start of the second half. Iraola called his players' situation "delicate" given a demanding schedule, though results matter most early in his reign and this was an important one.
For Brentford it was a first league defeat of the season. Andrews said he was really disappointed. His side had been relatively untroubled and deserved the lead, but one reckless moment cost them dearly.
Match facts: Brentford 1-2 Liverpool, Premier League, Gtech Community Stadium, Saturday 17 October 2026. Goals: Lewis-Potter 44' (Brentford); Munoz 62', Isak 70' (Liverpool). Red cards: Yarmoliuk (first-half added time) and Janelt (second yellow, stoppage time), both Brentford.
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