Liverpool’s season of misery plunged deeper as Brentford tore into the Premier League champions with a deserved 3–2 triumph at the roaring Gtech Community Stadium.
Arne Slot’s men arrived in west London hoping their midweek win over Eintracht Frankfurt might mark a turning point. Instead, it was another night of defensive chaos and missed chances as the Reds slumped to a fourth successive league defeat that leaves their title hopes in tatters.
The warning signs came early. Just five minutes in, Michael Kayode hurled a trademark long throw into the Liverpool box and chaos followed. Kristoffer Ajer flicked it on and Dango Ouattara pounced, steering the ball home while the visitors’ defence stood frozen. It summed up Liverpool’s fragility at the back, a flaw that has haunted them all season.
Brentford smelled blood and kept coming. Kevin Schade tormented Milos Kerkez down the flank and was rewarded on the stroke of half time. Mikkel Damsgaard split the defence with a glorious through ball and Schade calmly swept his finish past Giorgi Mamardashvili to make it two. The home fans erupted while Slot cut a lonely figure on the touchline.
Liverpool briefly stirred in first half stoppage time. Kerkez, guilty of several errors, popped up in attack to bundle the ball in and give the Reds faint hope. But Brentford were not done. Their relentless pressing and sharp movement continued to expose a Liverpool side that looked short of ideas and confidence.
On the hour mark, the hammer blow arrived. A video assistant referee review spotted Virgil van Dijk’s clumsy challenge on Ouattara right on the edge of the box. The penalty was given and Igor Thiago made no mistake, drilling it past Mamardashvili to restore the two-goal cushion.
Mohamed Salah, quiet for most of the night, offered late drama with a clever finish to make it 3–2, but Brentford held firm through a frantic finale. The whistle brought wild celebrations from the Bees and more despair for Liverpool, who looked bereft of belief and balance.
Slot’s side now sit sixth in the table, four points adrift of leaders Arsenal, who face Crystal Palace on Sunday. For Brentford, it was a statement win and their fourth of the campaign, lifting them into the top half and sparking dreams of another remarkable season.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are left searching for answers once more. The spark that once defined them under Jurgen Klopp seems a distant memory as Arne Slot’s reign stumbles from one setback to the next.