Liverpool secured a hard-fought 2-1 Premier League victory over Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, following up their 6-3 Champions League success over LASK with a second straight away win. The national media were present to offer their verdicts on a game that turned on a first-half red card.
Red card changes the game
After Keane Lewis-Potter had headed Brentford in front, the Bees were reduced to 10 men when Yehor Yarmoliuk headbutted Jeremy Jacquet before half-time. Liverpool made their numerical advantage count with second-half goals from Victor Munoz and Alexander Isak, before Brentford finished with nine when Vitaly Janelt was also sent off.
The Daily Mail's Oliver Holt wrote: "It was not a classic head butt that put Jeremy Jacquet down deep into time added on at the end of the first half. In other cultures, in other eras, it might have been interpreted as a nod of recognition from Yehor Yarmoliuk. But it was foolish and it was enough to seal his fate and cost his team. VAR intervened, Yarmoliuk was sent off and the game was changed."
Wirtz and Munoz impress
Holt noted that until the red card, Liverpool had struggled to assert themselves, even with a front line that cost more than £400m. Bradley Barcola had missed a gilt-edged chance, Florian Wirtz had spent another half fretting at the margins, and Andoni Iraola's team suffered injury blows when both Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong were forced off.
On The Times' pages, Gary Jacobs highlighted Wirtz's contribution: "Whether Florian Wirtz is suited to Liverpool - or the Premier League - might continue bubbling away but take nothing away from his timely clever pass that got them back into a game they turned on its head. Wirtz cushioned a pass near the halfway line and set Víctor Munoz free on goal in one movement, recording his second league assist of the season."
Jacobs added that since the start of last season, Wirtz is second to Rayan Cherki in having the most open-play assists for Premier League clubs in all competitions. He created nine chances, with no one creating more in a Premier League match since Bruno Fernandes's ten against Aston Villa in September 2021.
Isak's winner seals the points
The Mirror's Nathan Ridley reflected on Liverpool's onslaught, noting that Jeremie Frimpong, brought on as a half-time substitute, had to come off just seven minutes after his introduction due to injury. Rio Ngumoha then entered the fray, offering more of an attacking threat, and Munoz equalised with a brilliant solo goal.
Ridley wrote: "Iraola's men kept up the pressure and would be rewarded when Alexis Mac Allister picked out Bradley Barcola, who was free at the far post. His header wasn't ideal but Alexander Isak showed superb centre forward play to take the ball away from his man and slot past Caoimhin Kelleher."
Andy Sims, on The Independent, wrote: "Alexander Isak marked his return from injury with the winner as Liverpool came from behind to beat nine-man Brentford 2-1. The Reds were misfiring as they trailed to Keane Lewis-Potter’s first-half goal, but the match turned on a needless red card for Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk on the stroke of half-time."
Sims noted that Isak had missed the previous two matches but was able to start alongside Wirtz and recent signing Barcola in a £350m frontline. The winner arrived in the 70th minute when Mac Allister swung a deep cross towards the far post, Barcola headed the ball back and Isak took a touch before lashing it past Kelleher. Janelt was sent off in stoppage time for pulling back Rio Ngumoha.
In the ECHO's match verdict, it was noted that while it has been an encouraging week for Barcola, Wirtz and Isak, attributing this victory solely to three players who cost a jaw-dropping £364m would be somewhat inaccurate. The Reds largely struggled to make in-roads when it was 11 versus 11 and, like City last week, they were simply in possession of enough quality to make their numerical advantage count when it really mattered.
