Brentford 1-2 Liverpool: Isak seals comeback against nine men
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Liverpool beat Brentford 2-1 on October 17, 2026, after trailing 1-0 at half time.
- Brentford finished with nine men after two red cards changed the game.
- Alexander Isak scored the winner on his return from injury.
Liverpool came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The game was played at the Gtech Community Stadium in London. Alexander Isak scored the late winner for Liverpool.
Brentford ended the game with only nine men on the field.
What happened
Brentford started the game with high energy. The home team pressed Liverpool hard from the first minute. Liverpool had the early chances, but they could not score.
Bradley Barcola ran through on goal after a Brentford mistake. His chipped shot bounced wide of the post.
Liverpool then won a penalty in the first half. The referee pointed to the spot after a clash in the box. But a video review changed the call.
The review showed that Dango Ouattara had touched the ball first. The referee overturned the penalty.
Brentford took the lead in the 44th minute. Igor Thiago crossed the ball into the box. Keane Lewis-Potter met it with a strong header.
His header flew past Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. The home fans erupted as Brentford went 1-0 up.
Then the game turned on one moment. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Yehor Yarmoliuk clashed with Jeremy Jacquet. The two players waited for a corner to be taken.
Yarmoliuk moved his head toward the Liverpool defender. The referee checked the pitchside monitor after a video review. He showed Yarmoliuk a straight red card for violent conduct.
Brentford went into half time ahead, but down to ten men.
Liverpool had also lost a player to injury in the first half. Dominik Szoboszlai went off hurt in the 32nd minute. Trey Nyoni came on in his place.
At half time, Jeremie Frimpong replaced Ronald Araujo. But Frimpong lasted only seven minutes. He too went off injured, and Rio Ngumoha took his place.
Liverpool used their extra man after the break. Florian Wirtz pulled the strings in midfield. In the 62nd minute, Wirtz slipped a clever pass to Victor Munoz.
Munoz cut inside and fired a low left-footed shot. The ball went into the bottom corner past Caoimhin Kelleher. The score was 1-1.
Eight minutes later, Liverpool completed the comeback. Alexis Mac Allister crossed from the back post. Barcola nodded the ball down into the danger zone.
Isak took one touch and drove the ball home from close range. Liverpool led 2-1.
Brentford did not give up. Igor Thiago had a golden chance to level the score. He failed to convert from close range.
Barcola then hit the crossbar for Liverpool with a curling shot. In stoppage time, Brentford lost another man. Vitaly Janelt received a second yellow card for a foul on Ngumoha.
Brentford finished the game with nine players.
Why it matters
The win lifted Liverpool above Brentford into fifth place. Brentford dropped out of the top four. The defeat was also Brentford's first of the league season.
Their unbeaten start came to an end at home.
The red cards shaped the whole game. Brentford were edging it before the first sending off. Head coach Keith Andrews said the sending off changed the dynamics of the game.
He said his team had started to play with belief and speed. He felt the red card handed Liverpool a real advantage.
Isak's return mattered just as much. The striker had missed time with a thigh problem. He came back into the side and scored the winner.
It was his fifth league goal of the season. Isak said after the game that Liverpool still have lots to improve. He said the team is taking steps and grabbing points on the way.
The win did not fix all of Liverpool's problems. Head coach Andoni Iraola was frustrated with the finish. He said his team played really well until the 2-1 goal.
After that, he said, they did not manage the last minutes well. He said the team lacked calm on the ball. Liverpool had clear counterattacks to kill the game.
They missed them, and the ending stayed tense.
The injuries are a worry too. Liverpool lost two players during the match. Szoboszlai went off in the first half.
Frimpong lasted only seven minutes after half time. Iraola must now wait to learn how long both players will be out.
What happens next
Liverpool will want to build on this win. Three points on the road are always valuable. But the late wobble will concern Iraola.
His team must learn to control games after taking the lead. Keeping the ball calmly is the next step.
Brentford must regroup after a painful day. The team played well for long spells. The first half showed what they can do.
But playing with ten men for a full half is a hard task. Playing the end with nine men is harder still.
Yarmoliuk will now miss games through suspension after his straight red card. Brentford must cope without him in midfield. Janelt is also out after his late second yellow.
Andrews will need to reshape his team for the next games.
The result also keeps the top of the table tight. Liverpool moved up to fifth with this win. Brentford slipped out of the top four.
On the same weekend, Manchester City beat Ipswich 3-2 in another high-scoring game. The race near the top remains close, and every point counts.
For Isak, the goal is a fresh start. He missed the defeat to Manchester City through injury. He came back and scored the winner here.
Liverpool fans will hope this is the start of a strong run. Barcola also played a big part. He scored a hat-trick against LASK in midweek.
He added an assist here. Liverpool were not the only team to fight back. Bologna also came back to beat Inter 3-1.
Liverpool will want more of the same.
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