Isak completes Liverpool’s comeback win as Brentford finish with nine

If this truly was the turning point for Liverpool’s spluttering forwards then they will owe a big debt of gratitude to Yehor Yarmolyuk. Brentford were 1-0 up when their midfielder saw red for a head-butt on Jérémy Jacquet just before half-time and, while Andoni Iraola will hope that surviving one of the toughest tests the Premier League has to offer is a sign his methods are starting to take hold, the Spaniard will know it was very different contest once his side had a numerical advantage to exploit.

Brentford, whose unbeaten start to the season is over, raged at the officiating. They finished with nine men after losing Vitaly Janelt late on. John Brooks walked off to boos at full-time, although in truth Keith Andrews’ side only had themselves to blame. They pressed the self-destruct button when they had Liverpool on the ropes. Yarmolyuk was foolish and Liverpool punished him.

Iraola was delighted with how an attack worth close to £400m rose to the occasion in the second half. Florian Wirtz, who has struggled since his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen last year, collected his second assist of the season when he made Victor Muñoz’s equaliser. Muñoz finished well and his strike was followed by a first assist in Liverpool colours for Bradley Barcola, whose header teed up Alexander Isak to complete the turnaround in the 70th minute and lift Iraola’s side into fifth place.

There was not much between the sides before Yarmolyuk’s rush of blood to the head. Liverpool had Isak back after injury ruled him out of last week’s defeat toby Manchester City and they shaded the early openings. Isak nodded over from a good position and when Vitaly Janelt made an error Barcola missed a chance to build on his midweek hat-trick against LASK.

Brentford responded with a series of fast breaks. Liverpool had to be strong. They looked readier for the threat posed by Brentford than when they folded in this fixture under Arne Slot 12 months ago. Jacquet, quietly impressive in central defence, made a crucial tackle to deny Igor Thiago. The initial problem for Iraola was more that the expensive parts at his disposal in attack were not gelling.

At least Barcola was willing to look for the ball and test Michael Kayode on the left. Yet Wirtz was not on Isak’s wavelength during the first half. Muñoz was struggling to make an impact against Keane Lewis-Potter and Liverpool’s worries grew when they lost Dominik Szoboszlai to injury.

With Ryan Gravenberch suspended Iraola was light on midfield options. Trey Nyoni replaced Szoboszali and the 19-year-old’s introduction was followed by a whirlwind spell, sparked by Liverpool having a penalty overturned when Brooks checked the pitchside monitor and realised that Dango Outtara had touched the ball first when he slid in to stop Alexis Mac Allister from running on to Isak’s cutback.

Brentford were pumped up after the video assistant referee intervention and soon had Liverpool ruing a failure to clear their lines. The ball came back at the visitor too easily. Mac Allister backed off Thiago, who crossed for Lewis-Potter to run in from left-back and direct a fine header into the top corner.

Brentford will wonder what might have been if they had kept 11 on the pitch. Instead they imploded while trying to hold out for six added minutes. There was a tussle in the area before a Liverpool corner on the left and when Jacquet went down holding his face the replays showed that Yarmolyuk had taken the physicality too far.

The Brentford midfielder could not complain about his dismissal. Liverpool, though, took a while to adjust in the second half. They encountered further complications when injury forced Jeremie Frimpong off seven minutes after he replaced Ronald Araújo at right-back. Brentford, meanwhile, were holding firm. Keith Andrews made adjustments of his own. Kevin Schade was one of two half-time changes. Mamadou Sangaré, the other player to come on, drew an important save from Alisson Becker.

Liverpool grasped for inspiration. Mac Allister let fly from distance but Caoimhín Kelleher saved. Rio Ngumoha, on for Frimpong, delivered a teasing cross for Virgil van Dijk to volley wide.

Brentford began to wobble and they were caught after committing too many players forward in the 62nd minute. Wirtz dropped back, swivelled and played a clever pass inside Lewis-Potter. Muñoz was away and this time the cheapest of Liverpool’s front four provided incision, cutting past Lewis-Potter before using his left foot to thread a low shot beyond Kelleher.

The change in mood was dramatic. Barcola sliced a volley just wide but the second goal arrived with 20 minutes left. Wirtz combined with Mac Allister, Barcola headed the Argentina midfielder’s cross down and Isak came alive, fastening on to the ball and driving an emphatic shot past Kelleher.

Brentford remained defiant. They threatened an equaliser through Thiago after Jaidon Anthony broke through on the left. They wanted a penalty when Jacquet tangled with Thiago but it was not their day. Their unbeaten run was over when Janelt, already on a booking, picked up a second yellow for a foul on Ngumoha.