Alexander Isak’s close-range finish with 20 minutes left gave Liverpool a 2-1 comeback win at Brentford on Saturday 17 October, ending the Bees’ unbeaten Premier League start a week after Andoni Iraola’s side were beaten 3-0 at home by Manchester City.
Brentford led through Keane Lewis-Potter’s header on 44 minutes at Gtech Community Stadium, in a game that kicked off at 10pm Singapore time. Then Yehor Yarmoliuk was sent off for violent conduct in first-half stoppage time, and the afternoon tilted. Victor Muñoz equalised on 62 minutes, Isak scored eight minutes later, and Vitaly Janelt’s second booking in added time left the hosts with nine men.
A first half that turned twice
Brentford were the brighter side early, winning two quick corners and moving the ball well down the right through Michael Kayode and Dango Ouattara. Liverpool’s best early chance came from a mistake: Bradley Barcola stole a loose header from Janelt, raced through and lifted the ball over Caoimhín Kelleher, the former Liverpool goalkeeper, only to see it bounce wide.
Jérémy Jacquet was Liverpool’s busiest defender. He deflected a Kayode shot past the post and threw himself in to stop Igor Thiago from meeting Ouattara’s low cross. Dominik Szoboszlai, one of six changes as he and Isak returned from injury, lasted 32 minutes before Trey Nyoni replaced him.
Referee John Brooks gave Liverpool a penalty when Isak cut the ball back and Ouattara slid in on Alexis Mac Allister. VAR overturned it. Moments later Brentford scored with the roles swapped: Thiago, usually the man on the end of crosses, lifted the ball into the middle and Lewis-Potter timed his run to head past Alisson.
The lead lasted, but the numbers did not. While the teams waited for a corner deep in stoppage time, Yarmoliuk tangled with Jacquet. After another VAR check, Brooks ruled the midfielder had moved his head towards the defender and showed him a straight red.
How Liverpool turned it round
Jeremie Frimpong came on for Ronald Araujo at the interval and was soon forced off injured, so Rio Ngumoha entered on 52 minutes. Liverpool pinned Brentford back. Mac Allister drew a diving save from Kelleher and Virgil van Dijk volleyed wide from a short corner.
The equaliser came on the break. Florian Wirtz slipped Muñoz in down the right, and Muñoz checked inside onto his left foot and drove a low shot into the bottom corner.
The winner was built from a deep Mac Allister cross. Barcola headed it back across goal and Isak took one touch before drilling it home from a tight angle. Barcola nearly made it 3-1 with a curling shot that hit the crossbar, and Brentford still forced van Dijk into a late block on Thiago before Janelt fouled Ngumoha on the edge of the box and was sent off.
“It was more about concentration because I didn’t have too many chances,” Isak said. “I was kind of waiting for my moment and that was the one.”
Where it leaves both sides
The win lifts Liverpool to fifth on 12 points from seven matches, nine behind leaders Manchester City, who beat Ipswich Town 3-2 earlier on Saturday to make it seven wins from seven. Brentford drop to sixth on 10 points after their first league defeat of the 2026-27 season.
Van Dijk captained Liverpool for the 200th time. Sepp van den Berg, making his first appearance of the season for Brentford, was facing his former club.
Brentford head coach Keith Andrews said the performance filled him with “immense pride” because “right until the end, we continued to throw punches”.
Liverpool host Brighton and Hove Albion at Anfield on Sunday 25 October, with kick-off at 10pm Singapore time after the UK clocks go back. Brentford travel to Hull City at the same time.
