Alexander Isak marked his return from injury with the winning goal as Liverpool overturned a one-goal deficit to beat Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, a match overshadowed by two red cards for the hosts.

Keane Lewis-Potter gave Brentford the lead with a header shortly after Liverpool had a penalty decision correctly overturned by VAR. It appeared to be shaping up as a difficult afternoon for the visitors — until Yehor Yarmoliuk intervened in the worst way possible.

Yarmoliuk's madness turns the tide

With first-half stoppage time ticking away, Yarmoliuk headbutted Jeremy Jacquet ahead of a Liverpool corner. Referee John Brookes was directed to the pitch-side monitor by the VAR and immediately produced a straight red card for violent conduct, transforming the contest completely.

Liverpool wasted no time pressing their numerical advantage after the interval. Victor Munoz latched onto a perfectly-weighted through ball from Florian Wirtz and converted with a superbly-taken finish to level the scores.

Isak, returning to the starting lineup after a thigh problem, then sealed all three points. He finished with precision from Bradley Barcola's knockdown, completing a turnaround that inflicted Brentford's first defeat of the campaign.

Brentford's misery deepens

The hosts had a golden opportunity to equalise when Igor Thiago failed to convert from close range, a miss that would prove costly. Brentford were then reduced to nine men deep in stoppage time when Vitaly Janelt was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Liverpool substitute Rio Ngumoha.

The win was not without its own complications for Liverpool. Dominik Szoboszlai was forced off in the first half on his return to the side, and half-time substitute Jeremie Frimpong lasted only seven minutes before he too left the field with an injury.

Manager Andoni Iraola shifted Munoz to right-back to cover for Frimpong, but the summer signing still found the energy to charge forward and score the equaliser before Isak put the result beyond doubt. The victory lifts Liverpool above Brentford into fifth place in the Premier League.