Liverpool came from behind to collect a hard-earned three points vs Brentford. This is what we spotted as Victor Munoz and Alexander Isak turned the game around.

GTECH, WEST LONDON // Liverpool recovered from going a goal down against Brentford, with a controversial red card and an Alexander Isak strike the difference.

A relatively dull opening half an hour made way for an action-packed end to the first half. Alexis Mac Allister thought he had won a penalty, only for it to be correctly overturned, Keane Lewis-Potter scored the opening goal, and Yehor Yarmoliuk was sent off for a perceived headbutt.

Dominik Szoboszlai went off injured in the first half and Jeremie Frimpong in the second, with the Reds turning the game around thanks to Isak and Victor Munoz. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.

Alexander Isak decisive

As triple boosts come, having Alexander Isak, Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo available again — albeit the latter only from the bench — was, on paper, a pretty big one for Liverpool. Andoni Iraola had promised that none of the trio would be absent for too long, and so it proved... kind of.

As well as Lewis Koumas has been playing, Isak is a clear upgrade — and against a physical Brentford, Szoboszlai was vital. The Hungary skipper, though, didn't last long. Half an hour in, he went down and had to be replaced by Trey Nyoni.

Isak, fortunately, made more of a difference. While he was barely involved in the game, he scored a superb goal to put Liverpool in front, showing his clinical side and bagging from nowhere. That is exactly why he is a $169 million (£125 million) striker.

Bradley Barcola and Florian Wirtz mixed

Bradley Barcola got a hat-trick and Florian Wirtz suddenly looked to be playing with a spring in his step midweek against LASK. The big question, though, was whether that was down to it being a European competition and a less physical opponent rather than a proper and sustainable change of fortunes.

Here, Barcola and Wirtz were never going to get as much time and space in which to operate. Even when the former did, he skewed a huge chance horribly wide in the first half.

Barcola offered some glimpses, like when he hit the ba with a curled shot late-ish in the game. He looked more confident standing up his marker and dribbling forward too, and his overall showing was good, without being great.

Wirtz, likewise, showed some flashes. Against 10 men, however, the second half should have been a platform for him to take the game by the scruff of the neck. He did to some degree, but not to the extent of some others.

Indeed, it was Munoz who did so the most. The Spaniard was moved to right-back, a position from which he drove forward and scored. It was a risk to play him there, but one that paid dividends.

Alexis Mac Allister lively

Alexis Mac Allister was a lively presence for Liverpool in the center of the field. The former Brighton man — bizarrely booed for being from Argentina — was strong in the tackle and roamed forward as often as he could.

With Szoboszlai not lasting long and Ryan Gravenberch suspended, Mac Allister needed to help Nyoni through the game, and he did just that. But there remains a question about the balance in the Liverpool team.

It doesn't help, of course, that there were two injury setbacks. Without Szoboszlai and Frimpong, Munoz ended up playing right-back with Rio Ngumoha ahead of him. But the midfield, against 10 men, was not exactly in control. The red card was a big moment.

Jeremy Jacquet stands up

Jeremy Jacquet has been a sensational signing for Liverpool so far, and he was heavily involved here, much to the frustration of those in the home end.

It was Jacquet who Yarmoliuk was rather harshly adjudged to have headbutted, and Igor Thiago also picked up a booking for a trailing arm that landed on him early in the second half.

Jacquet battled hard and stood up to the challenge, but his passing was not as accurate as it usually is, and he was rightly cautioned for a foul on Kevin Schade shortly after one such misplaced ball.

He and Liverpool kept going, as you would expect, and there are not many tests like a trip to Brentford. He came through it and should be better for the experience.

Andoni Iraola boost

Iraola is not exactly under pressure, and it was always unlikely that Liverpool would be in title contention just a few months after firing Arne Slot, but he headed into this weekend with just two Premier League wins from six.

Brentford, meanwhile, a side that has long been held up as one of the examples for newly promoted sides to copy when they make the top flight, was a point ahead of Liverpool before kick-off, once again starting well under Keith Andrews.

Going 1-0 ahead was huge for the host, giving it something to hold onto. Going down to 10 (and eventually nine) men, though, was always going to make it tough. Liverpool battled, Isak scored, and Iraola can be proud of the perseverance. Any win away in this stadium will have been a hard-fought one.