Liverpool slump to yet another defeat as Brentford deliver fresh title blow - 5 talking points

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Liverpool's Premier League misery continued on Saturday night, with Brentford handing Arne Slot's team a fourth straight defeat in the competition. Brentford led at the break, with Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade on target, though Milos Kerkez gave the visitors hope deep into first-half stoppage time.

The one-goal margin looked dangerous, but Brentford restored their two-goal advantage from the penalty spot around the hour mark through Igor Thiago. Mo Salah's consolation was too little, too late, and when the dust settled, Liverpool knew they now face an uphill battle to retain their league title.

Liverpool had got back to winning ways in midweek, swatting Eintracht Frankfurt aside in the Champions League after an early scare. That didn't come without a setback, though, with Alexander Isak picking up a groin injury, which ruled him out of the trip to West London.

Brentford suffered late pain against the Reds in the corresponding fixture last season and set out like a team determined to avoid a repeat. Barely five minutes were on the clock when Ouattara volleyed the Bees into the lead, turning home a Kristoffer Ajer header.

Arne Slot's men had plenty of attacking talent at their disposal, and didn't let that early goal dissuade them. Salah went close, only for former Reds keeper Caoimhin Kelleher to get out early to deny his ex-colleague, while Florian Wirtz flashed an effort inches wide in the 20th minute.

Brentford gained a real foothold later in the first half, though, and their threat wasn't just from set plays. Giorgi Mamardashvili was a busy man for the visitors, making a crucial stop to deny Mikkel Damsgaard as the Dane came close to doubling the hosts' lead, but he was powerless to deny Kevin Schade after the German was fed by Damsgaard on the break.

Kerkez's goal gave Liverpool hope despite their first-half struggles, but Brentford didn't let their heads drop and had other chances before making sure with their third. Here are Mirror Football 's talking points from the Gtech Community Stadium.

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Liverpool aren't the first team to get caught out by a long throw this season and they won't be the last. Michael Kayode's delivery caused problems, though Ajer and Ouattara still had work to do to take full advantage.

Brentford's right-back had another opportunity to cause havoc just before the half hour, and from almost the same position on the field. Liverpool struggled to deal with that one too, and will have been relieved to see Nathan Collins' header to float safely into the arms of Mamardashvili.

Narrative dictates that this has been the season of long throws up and down the table. Saturday night's game showed even the reigning champions aren't immune.

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Moments before Brentford's second goal, Liverpool felt they deserved a penalty. Nathan Collins got none of the ball as he looked to dispossess Cody Gakpo inside the home box, but neither the on-field referee nor the VAR felt the Irishman got enough of Gakpo to warrant a spot-kick.

That wasn't the only moment of officiating controversy in the first half. Liverpool's goal came four minutes into added time - after the board went up showing a minimum of three - and the boos at the break from some Brentford fans suggested they didn't view the wait to restart after Schade's goal as enough of a reason for play continuing for that long.

There was a refereeing change at the break, with Tim Robinson taking over after an injury to Simon Hooper, and he was in the thick of more drama around the hour mark. He initially awarded Brentford a free-kick when Virgil van Dijk fouled Ouattara, but VAR instructed him to award a penalty after the foul was ruled to have taken place inside the box.

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One wonders how Liverpool's fans might have reacted had Jordan Henderson been slightly more accurate in the 32nd minute. The former Reds captain has yet to score for Brentford, but his low drilled effort had Mamardashvili on his toes before flashing wide of the post.

Henderson wasn't the only ex-Liverpool player involved for the visitors. Caoimhin Kelleher was playing against his old employers for the first time since making the move south over the summer, and bravely denied Salah during the first half.

Sepp van den Berg also had a point to prove, as he may feel he never got a fair crack of the whip at Anfield. He was part of an impressive rearguard action in the first half, right up until the point Liverpool pulled a goal back. He was called into action again at 3-1, producing a huge last-ditch block.

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Alexander Isak has yet to show his Newcastle form in Liverpool colours, but some will have felt he might have made a difference in the first half. Hugo Ekitike was more subdued than usual, and Isak - who scored home and away against Brentford last term - might have been more of a threat.

The Sweden striker wasn't the only player missing. Jeremie Frimpong's runs from right-back could have helped subdue Brentford's threat down that flank, while Ryan Gravenberch also felt like a notable absentee and Alisson's capacity for goalkeeping heroics could have really come in handy.

Liverpool still have a talented squad, though, and will feel they ought to have had the quality to put up more of a fight before Brentford hit top gear. It remains to be seen how damaging this will prove to be.

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When Schade doubled Brentford's lead, Arsenal fans will have been in dreamland. Not only were they set to stay four points clear of Liverpool, but they would have a chance to turn four into seven with a win on Sunday.

There will have been some nervy moments for those Gunners watching at home, at least for the half-time break and the start of the second period. Igor Thiago's penalty helped calm some of those nerves - right up until Salah set up a grandstand finish by making it 3-2 with timing winding down. But now the onus is on Arsenal to take full advantage against Crystal Palace .

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola warned others not to count out Liverpool ahead of this weekend's fixtures. Now, though, it's hard to look past City as the biggest threat to Mikel Arteta's side.