Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola admitted his side need to be more ruthless after they held on for a 2-1 win at nine-man Brentford.

Second-half goals from Victor Munoz and Alexander Isak secured a much-needed victory after Liverpool trailed to Keane Lewis-Potter’s header.

The match turned on a needless red card for Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk on the stroke of half-time, while the Bees lost Vitaly Janelt to second yellow card in stoppage time.

But despite the numerical disadvantage, it was Brentford who looked likelier to get the game’s fourth goal.

“I think we played really well the minute until we scored for 2-1 against 10 players,” said Reds boss Iraola.

“I think we were being patient, we were finding good positions and we were controlling the game really well. I’m probably more disappointed after we scored, because you score for 2-1 and then you feel like you have something to lose.

“We were playing freely, finding good spots, sending a lot of players forward. And then at 2-1 we missed clear counters to finish the game.”

Bradley Barcola, who scored a Champions League treble in midweek, was the chief culprit as he passed up a hat-trick of chances.

Iraola added: “Bradley, I think he has missed clear chances. On another day he scores three.

“But I love that he’s having so many chances and being in those situations.”

The match exploded into life shortly before half-time when Liverpool were awarded a penalty after Dango Ouattara appeared to trip Alexis Mac Allister in the area.

However, a VAR review showed the Bees attacker had got the slightest touch on the ball, and after a check on the monitor referee John Brooks overturned his decision.

Two minutes later Brentford took the lead when Lewis-Potter, among the smallest players on the pitch, met Igor Thiago’s cross with a bullet header into the top corner.

But in stoppage time Brentford fell foul of a VAR decision, when Yarmoliuk was spotted to have aimed a ‘headbutting action’ towards Jeremy Jacquet as the pair grappled at a corner.

Liverpool equalised when Florian Wirtz sent Munoz racing down the right and the Spanish winger turned inside Lewis-Potter before arrowing a left-footed shot past Kelleher,

The winner arrived in the 70th minute when Mac Allister swung a deep cross towards the far post, Barcola headed the ball back and Isak took a touch before lashing home.

To rub salt in the Brentford wounds, German midfielder Janelt was sent off in stoppage time for pulling back Rio Ngumoha.

“A lot went on in the game,” said Bees boss Keith Andrews. “I think we were edging it, getting into a good rhythm.

“We got ourselves in front and I felt pretty confident. But obviously the sending-off changes the dynamic of the game.

“If you look, Jacquet is walking into Yarmo. We need to look at ourselves first – Yarmo has to do better – but I think they were cute and clever.”