How the national media reacted to Liverpool's hard-fought 2-1 Premier League victory over Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium

Liverpool capped off a fine week with a second straight away victory, following up their 6-3 success over LASK in the Champions League by beating Brentford 2-1 on Saturday in the Premier League.

After Keane Lewis-Potter had headed in the opener, the Bees were reduced to 10 men when Yehor Yarmoliuk headbutted Jeremy Jacquet before half time.

And the Reds eventually made their numerical advantage count with second-half goals from Victor Munoz and Alexander Isak before Brentford finished with nine when Vitaly Janelt was also sent off.

As ever, the ECHO was there to run the rule over proceedings. From our match verdict to player ratings, on-the-whistle talking point, post-game analysis and reactions of both Andoni Iraola and Brentford boss Keith Andrews, we had you covered every step of the way. You can also re-live the action in our live blog.

Our colleagues from the national media were also present to provide their own spin on things. And here's what they made of it as Liverpool secured all three points in London.

The Daily Mail's Oliver Holt writes: "It was not a classic head butt that put Jeremy Jacquet down deep into time added on at the end of the first half. In other cultures, in other eras, it might have been interpreted as a nod of recognition from Yehor Yarmoliuk. But it was foolish and it was enough to seal his fate and cost his team. VAR intervened, Yarmoliuk was sent off and the game was changed.

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"Until then, Liverpool had struggled to assert themselves, even with a front line that cost more than £400m. Bradley Barcola had missed a gilt-edged chance, Florian Wirtz had spent another half fretting at the margins and Andoni Iraola’s team were soon to suffer two injury blows when both Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong were forced off.

"But Brentford going down to 10 men wiped all Liverpool’s misfortunes away. By the time the dismissal of Vitaly Janelt reduced the home team to nine men in second half stoppage time, Liverpool were 2-1 up and heading towards fifth place in the table."

Over on The Mirror's pages, Nathan Ridley reflects: "For a spell early in the second period, Brentford held their own with 10 men, testing Liverpool before their onslaught came about somewhat inadvertently. Jeremie Frimpong, brought on as a half-time substitute, had to come off just seven minutes after his introduction due to injury.

"Would Iraola turn to Joe Gomez or opt for something bolder? The answer was the latter. Rio Ngumoha entered the fray, offering more of an attacking threat.

"Ngumoha's introduction forced Victor Munoz to right-back, but it didn't put the Spaniard off bombing forward. Munoz would equalise with a brilliant solo goal, cutting inside and producing a cool finish from inside the 18-yard box.

"Iraola's men kept up the pressure and would be rewarded when Alexis Mac Allister picked out Bradley Barcola, who was free at the far post. His header wasn't ideal but Alexander Isak showed superb centre forward play to take the ball away from his man and slot past Caoimhin Kelleher."

On The Times' pages, Gary Jacobs scribes: "Whether Florian Wirtz is suited to Liverpool - or the Premier League - might continue bubbling away but take nothing away from his timely clever pass that got them back into a game they turned on its head. Wirtz cushioned a pass near the halfway line and set Víctor Munoz free on goal in one movement, recording his second league assist of the season.

"Since the start of last season, Wirtz is second to Rayan Cherki in having the most open-play assists for Premier League clubs in all competitions.

"If the physicality and intensity of the Premier League has been one of Wirtz’s biggest issues, he can say that he coped with one of its most physical opponents. He created nine chances of varying quality and no-one has created more in a Premier League match since Bruno Fernandes’s ten against Aston Villa in September 2021.

"There were moments of good understanding with Bradley Barcola and Alexander Isak but Liverpool will want to see that more regularly. After all, Wirtz went missing and was wasteful in the 3-0 reverse by Manchester City and it was easy to read too much into an impressive performance against a mediocre LASK in the Champions League in midweek."

Andy Sims, on The Independent, writes: "Alexander Isak marked his return from injury with the winner as Liverpool came from behind to beat nine-man Brentford 2-1. The Reds were misfiring as they trailed to Keane Lewis-Potter’s first-half goal, but the match turned on a needless red card for Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk on the stroke of half-time.

"Victor Munoz hauled Liverpool level after the break before Isak struck with his fifth goal of the season. Brentford then lost Vitaly Janelt to second yellow card in stoppage time.

"Swedish striker Isak had missed the previous two matches but was able start alongside Florian Wirtz and recent signing Bradley Barcola in a £350m frontline.

"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 it past Kelleher.

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

And in the ECHO's match verdict: "It's been a good week to be a £100m+ Liverpool footballer. After a Bradley Barcola hat-trick and two assists for Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak secured successive away-day victories as Andoni Iraola's men came through a tough examination at Brentford with a 2-1 win.

"After the 3-0 demolition against Manchester City last week, sparked by Ryan Gravenberch's sending-off, few teams needed a refresher course on just how a red card can change Premier League games.

"But they got another demonstration here after John Brooks' decision to dismiss Yehor Yarmoliuk for a headbutt on Jeremy Jacquet proved to be the catalyst that turned it all Liverpool's way.

"Brooks later sent off off Vitaly Janelt as Keith Andrews' battling side ended the game with nine men and plenty of pride but, crucially, no points.

"The points instead headed back to Merseyside, leaving Iraola to reflect on how having game-changing players in your squad can sometimes be enough to change games. But while it's been an encouraging week for Barcola, Wirtz and Isak, attributing this victory solely to three players who cost a jaw-dropping £364m would be somewhat inaccurate.

"The Reds largely struggled to make in-roads when it was 11 versus 11 and, like City last week, they were simply in possession of enough quality to make their numerical advantage count when it really mattered."