Keith Andrews' Brentford inflict fourth successive league defeat on Liverpool

BEES BUZZING: Brentford's Jordan Henderson celebrates. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire.

BRENTFORD 3 (Outtara 5, Schade 45, Thiago pen 60) LIVERPOOL 2 (Kerkez 45+54, Salah 89)

WAS THIS the day Liverpool's title hopes were ended?

The champions have a mighty fight on their hands if they are to defend their title, falling to their fourth successive league defeat of the season, to a Brentford side who thoroughly deserved victory.

Arne Slot's men cannot find a way to win in the Premier League at the moment, and they were second best once again.

They are less than clinical in attack, Florian Wirtz was once again overpowered in midfield, and defensively they are all over the place.

When Liverpool won the title last season, they only conceded 14 goals in their opening 16 games. It has taken them just nine games to concede that many this time around.

But credit must go to Brentford, who lost their manager, captain and two top scorers to bigger clubs in the summer.

Keith Andrews has made them hard to beat, and in Dango Ouattara, Kevin Shade and Igor Thiago, has another trio of dangerous strikers, bang in form.

They went after Liverpool from the start, conscious perhaps that the Reds had lost their previous three league games, and took the lead within five minutes.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews applauds the fans. Pic: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

Michael Kayode is Brentford's long throw specialist, and had already caused panic in the Liverpool defence with one effort, before another huge throw was headed across goal by Kristoffer Ajer for Ouattara to volley home from close range.

The Reds, playing in green, were stung but tried to hit back quickly. Mohamed Salah was denied when former team-mate Caoimhin Kelleher made a brave save at his feet, the Irishman requiring treatment.

Florian Wirtz, still struggling to adjust to English football, missed a sitter in the 20th minute when he shot wide from 12 yards, and soon afterwards Cody Gakpo fired high over the baer from long range.

Another former Red, Jordan Henderson, went close to scoring against his old side with a low drive past the post, and Brentford's playmaker Mikkel Damsgaard fired in a dipping shot that Giorgi Mamardashvili had to tip over the bar.

And it was the Dane who set up Brentford's second, in the 45th minute, with a defence-splitting pass into the path of Kevin Schade, who held of Ibrahima Konate to shoot calmly past Mamardashvili.

Liverpool were all at sea and sinking fast, but were thrown a lifeline in stoppage time, when Milos Kerkez popped up at the far post to stab home Connor Bradley's low cross from the right.

Home supporters were unhappy that the goal came in the fifth minute of stoppage time, which was orginally advertised as three minutes, and Brentford coach Keith Andrews was cautioned for his protests.

So there was a huge cheer when referee Simon Hooper, who'd been booed off at half-time, was replaced after the break by fourth official Tim Robinson, who was soon involved in one of the game's most contentious decisions.

Moments after Salah escaped unpunished for a lunge on Schade, Mamardashvili made another spectacular save to deny Damsgaard again, Robinson awarded Brentford a penalty after a lengthy VAR delay.

Virgil Van Dijk fouled Outtara on the edge of the penalty box, and the referee's initial decision was a free-kick. But after VAR intervened, he awarded a penalty, which Igor Thiago drilled down the middle past Mamardashvili for his seventh goal of the season.

Arne Slot rang the changes, sending on Alexis MacAllister, Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha, but Liverpool struggled to create clear chances.

Salah shot high over the bar before finally finding the net in the 89th minute, taking down Dominic Szoboszlai's cross with his left foot before shooting high into the net with his right foot.

It was only his second league goal of the season, and his first from open play.

Reds fans roared when seven minutes of stoppage time was announced, and even though Robinson ended up adding another four to that total, Liverpool could not find a way through, and their fourth straight league defeat was confirmed.

Brentford: Kelleher 7; Kayode 8, Collins 7, Van Den Berg 7, Ajer 6 (Henry 90+5); Yarmoliuk 6 (Janaelt 28), Henderson 7, Damsgaard 9 (Jensen 79), Ouattara 8 (Onyeka 90+5), Thiago 7, Schade 7 (Lewis-Potter 79).

Liverpool: Mamardashvili 7; Bradley 6 (MacAllister 61), Konate 5, Van Dijk 6, Kerkez 6; Szoboszlai 7, Wirtz 5 (Gomez 83), Jones 6 (Ngumoha 70); Salah 5, Ekitike 5, Gakpo 6 (Chiesa 61).

Referee: Simon Hooper 6 (Robinson 46).