Liverpool came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 in a fiercely contested encounter at the Gtech Community Stadium, capitalising on two red cards to turn a frustrating afternoon into a valuable Premier League victory.

Keane Lewis-Potter’s excellent header gave Brentford the lead before half-time, leaving Liverpool facing another difficult result after their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City. But the dismissal of Yehor Yarmoliuk, who was sent off for leaning his head into Jeremy Jacquet, changed the balance of the contest.

Victor Munoz equalised with a superb finish after the interval, before Alexander Isak completed the turnaround with a composed left-footed strike. Brentford’s hopes of rescuing a point were further damaged when Vitaly Janelt received a second yellow card for a foul on Rio Ngumoha, leaving the hosts with nine players for the closing stages.

For Andoni Iraola, the result offered a welcome response to the defeat by Manchester City and the defensive concerns exposed during Wednesday’s 6-3 Champions League win over LASK. It was not an entirely convincing performance, however, and the manager will also be concerned by injuries to Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong.

Liverpool showed some encouraging attacking combinations during the opening period, with Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola linking up particularly well. Yet too many promising positions ended with wayward efforts rather than sustained pressure on Caoimhín Kelleher.

Szoboszlai fired high after receiving a lay-off from Wirtz, while Alexis Mac Allister also blazed over from the edge of the area following a short corner routine. Barcola then created a more significant opportunity by pressing Brentford’s defence, winning possession and driving towards goal, only to send his finish wide.

The pattern was familiar: Liverpool could move the ball into dangerous areas but lacked the precision required to punish their opponents. Barcola later curled another effort over after Wirtz had picked him out, while Alexander Isak headed Mac Allister’s cross over the crossbar.

Brentford, meanwhile, demonstrated that Liverpool’s defensive concentration was far from secure. Michael Kayode was allowed space around the edge of the visitors’ penalty area before his effort took a deflection off Jacquet and went behind for a corner.

Liverpool briefly thought they had been handed an opportunity to take the lead when Mac Allister went down following Isak’s cut-back. The referee initially awarded a penalty, but VAR intervened and the decision was overturned after the defender made contact with the ball.

Instead of going into the interval ahead, Liverpool found themselves trailing. Brentford punished their failure to convert their openings when Lewis-Potter rose to meet a cross and produced an excellent header beyond Alisson Becker.

It was a damaging moment for Liverpool, whose attacking promise had not translated into a goal. But the contest was transformed before the interval when Yarmoliuk was sent off for violent conduct after leaning his head into Jacquet.

The decision followed an extended review, with Brentford now facing the entire second half with ten players. Liverpool had been given a significant advantage, but still needed to find the quality and composure to exploit it.

Liverpool increased the pressure after the restart, with Mac Allister forcing Kelleher into a diving save before Virgil van Dijk sent an effort narrowly wide following a cross from Ngumoha.

The equaliser, when it arrived, showcased the technical quality that Liverpool had struggled to produce consistently before half-time. Ngumoha found Wirtz, whose excellent pass picked out Munoz. The Spaniard cut inside before guiding the ball into the far corner, leaving Kelleher with no chance.

The goal gave Liverpool the platform they needed. Brentford were increasingly stretched as they tried to defend their lead with a numerical disadvantage, and Liverpool began to move the ball with greater purpose.

Barcola came close to putting the visitors ahead with an effort that flashed narrowly wide, but Isak supplied the decisive finish. A knock-down from Barcola fell invitingly for the striker, who took a touch before steering a left-footed effort into the net.

It was an important contribution from Isak, who had found it difficult to influence the game for long periods. His composure in front of goal, however, gave Liverpool the lead their second-half pressure had been threatening to produce.

Barcola almost added a third when his curling effort beat Kelleher but struck the crossbar. The winger had been involved throughout Liverpool’s improvement, although he was unable to make the most of a later counter-attacking opportunity that could have put the result beyond doubt.

There was another twist when Janelt was dismissed for a second bookable offence after fouling Ngumoha. Brentford were reduced to nine players, leaving Liverpool with a two-man advantage as the closing stages approached.

Liverpool will take considerable encouragement from their ability to recover after falling behind. Munoz’s finish was excellent, Isak delivered when it mattered and Ngumoha’s introduction added energy and directness to the attack.

The comeback also demonstrated the importance of Liverpool moving the ball more quickly when facing a deep defensive block. Their first-half possession had too often resulted in speculative efforts, whereas the equaliser came from a precise sequence of passes and a decisive individual action.

The red cards inevitably shaped the match, and Liverpool’s numerical advantage gave them a route back into the contest. But they still needed to execute their attacking moves, particularly after Lewis-Potter had punished their earlier wastefulness.

There are also fresh concerns for Iraola. Szoboszlai was forced off with a suspected recurrence of his hamstring problem, while Frimpong also suffered an injury after coming on at half-time. With Liverpool’s schedule continuing to intensify, the availability of key players could become as important as the points gained in west London.

For now, the result provides a significant boost. Liverpool have responded to their defeat by Manchester City with a European victory and a hard-earned league comeback, even if the performance was far from straightforward.

The challenge is to build on the result without overlooking the problems that preceded it. Liverpool’s attacking quality eventually made the difference, but their inability to convert early chances and their continued injury concerns ensure that this was a victory to celebrate rather than a performance without questions.