If you thought a Saturday afternoon trip to the Gtech Community Stadium was going to be a routine affair, the first 45 minutes in West London proved once again that watching this Liverpool side is never good for the heart rate.
Between overturned spot-kicks, VAR pitchside monitor drama, and yet another worrying injury setback, Andoni Iraola’s men were put through the absolute mill.
But when the dust settled on a frantic, afternoon, the Reds walked away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory inflicting a first defeat of the season on Keith Andrews high-flying Bees.
Here is the full story behind the first-half chaos, the Premier League’s official explanation of the red card incident, and how Liverpool turned drama into three massive points.
First-half mayhem
The game could hardly have started on a worse note for traveling Reds. Having only just welcomed Dominik Szoboszlai back into the starting XI following an international break injury, Liverpool fans held their breath as the Hungarian midfielder pulled up midway through the half. He was forced off early, adding another frustrating chapter to Liverpool’s midfield selection headaches.
To make matters worse, moments after Szoboszlai’s departure, the visitors were denied what looked like a clear penalty when Florian Wirtz went down inside the box under heavy pressure, only for referee John Brooks to wave play on.
Seconds later, drama erupted at the other end of the penalty area. Brooks initially pointed to the spot, believing Alexis Mac Allister had been fouled by Dango Ouattara. Just as Liverpool prepared to take the lead, the VAR summoned Brooks to the pitchside monitor. Upon review, the referee overturned his original decision, confirming there was no contact between Ouattara and the Argentine midfielder.
To compound the frustration for traveling supporters, Brentford immediately capitalised on the restart. Keane Lewis-Potter rose highest to meet Igor Thiago’s cross, powering a brilliant header past Alisson to put the Bees 1-0 up.
Why no penalty was awarded
Right on the stroke of half-time, the game turned completely on its head. As Liverpool prepared to take a corner, an altercation broke out inside the Brentford penalty area between Ukrainian midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk and Liverpool center-back Jeremy Jacquet.
Replays showed Yarmolyuk leaning in with his head towards Jacquet while remonstrating with the referee, leaving Jacquet on the turf. Brooks was sent to the pitchside monitor for a second time, and after reviewing the incident, he showed Yarmolyuk a straight red card for violent conduct.
Addressing the Gtech Community Stadium crowd over the PA system, Brooks explained his decision:
"After review, the Brentford No.6 commits a headbutting action. The final decision is a red card."
The Premier League Match Centre subsequently released an official statement on social media confirming the ruling:
"After VAR review, the referee issued a red card to Yarmoliuk for violent conduct."
#BRELIV – 45+8’ VAR OVERTURN
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) October 17, 2026
After VAR review, the referee issued a red card to Yarmoliuk for violent conduct.
REF: “After review, the Brentford No.6 commits a headbutting action. The final decision is a red card”.
Many traveling Kopites inside the stadium questioned why Liverpool were not awarded a penalty kick following the foul inside the 18-yard box.
The rule, however, is straightforward: because the corner had not yet been taken when Yarmolyuk headbutted Jacquet, the ball was technically out of play. Had the ball been active in play, Iraola’s side would have been granted a spot-kick.
Yarmolyuk now faces a three-match domestic suspension, ruling him out of Brentford's upcoming matches against Hull City, Sunderland in the EFL Cup, and Nottingham Forest.
With an extra man on the pitch, Iraola made a bold tactical move at the break, replacing Ronald Araujo with Jeremie Frimpong to push more numbers forward down the right flank.
However, Liverpool’s luck on the injury front took another painful turn just six minutes into the second half. Frimpong pulled up clutching his leg with an apparent muscle injury and was forced off, leaving 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha to step into the heat of battle.
Despite the setback, Liverpool’s pressure eventually told. On the hour mark, Florian Wirtz picked out Victor Muñoz in space the winger cut inside cleanly before dispatching a sharp finish into the far bottom corner to restore parity at 1-1.
Ten minutes later, the comeback was complete. Bradley Barcola rose high to head down an aerial delivery straight into the path of Alexander Isak, who smashed home an emphatic finish to put the Reds 2-1 ahead and score his first goal since returning to full fitness.
Brentford continued to fight valiantly in the closing stages, but their discipline broke down again in deep stoppage time. Vitaly Janelt received his second yellow card of the match for a mistimed challenge, reducing the hosts to nine men.
While the Reds spurned a couple of late counter-attacking chances to kill the game off completely, Iraola's men held firm through nine chaotic minutes of injury time to secure three crucial Premier League points.
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