Isak's return seals Liverpool comeback as nine-man Brentford crumble at home

Alexander Isak returned from injury to score the winner as Liverpool came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium, with the hosts finishing the match with nine men.

The Reds had been sluggish in the first half and fell behind when Keane Lewis-Potter met Igor Thiago’s cross with a bullet header into the top corner — a fine finish from one of the smaller players on the pitch. Liverpool had earlier been denied a penalty after VAR showed Dango Ouattara had got the slightest touch on the ball before appearing to trip Alexis Mac Allister, prompting referee John Brooks to overturn his on-field decision.

The match changed dramatically in first-half stoppage time when Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk was shown a red card after VAR spotted him directing a headbutting action towards Jeremy Jacquet during a corner. No penalty was awarded as the ball was not in play, but the numerical advantage proved decisive.

Liverpool levelled shortly after the restart. Florian Wirtz released Victor Munoz down the right, and the Spanish winger cut inside Lewis-Potter before arrowing a left-footed finish past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher. Isak then settled the contest in the 70th minute, converting after Mac Allister’s deep cross was headed back by Bradley Barcola.

Isak had missed Liverpool’s previous two matches but was fit enough to start alongside Wirtz and Barcola — a frontline assembled for a combined £350 million. Barcola, who had scored a hat-trick against LASK in the Champions League in midweek, wasted a glorious early chance, attempting to chip Kelleher one-on-one but stabbing the ball tamely wide to jeers from the home supporters.

Brentford’s afternoon worsened further when Vitaly Janelt, who had earlier gifted Barcola that opening opportunity, was shown a second yellow card deep into stoppage time to reduce the hosts to nine men.

The result was also soured for Liverpool by the early loss of Dominik Szoboszlai, who was forced off after just 32 minutes with what appeared to be a recurrence of his knee problem.