Premier League champions Liverpool's title defense continues to stutter as Brentford's recovery persists.
Posted on October 25, 2025
Champions Liverpool suffered a fourth successive Premier League defeat as they lost 3-2 at Brentford to continue their miserable run in London.
Arne Slot's team fell behind after five minutes on Saturday when Dango Ouattara scored on a volley after a long shot, and Kevin Schade stepped up to make it 2-0 in the 45th.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Milos Kerkez responded for the visitors in first-half stoppage time with his first goal for Liverpool after a cross from Conor Bradley.
However, Liverpool's expected second-half siege never materialized, and Igor Thiago restored Brentford's two-goal lead from the penalty spot on the hour mark.
Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool hope with a clinical finish in the 89th minute, but they left it too late.
It is the first time since 2021 that Liverpool have lost four consecutive league games, three of them in London after defeats at Crystal Palace and Chelsea.
They are now sixth in the table with 15 points, four points behind leaders Arsenal, who could extend that margin on Sunday when they host Crystal Palace.
Brentford's second consecutive victory took them to tenth place, two points behind Liverpool.
Brentford fans mock Liverpool manager Slot
The home fans delighted in taunting Liverpool manager Arne Slot with chants of “you'll be sacked in the morning”, and while the Dutchman didn't have to worry about it, the sense that his team's title defense was weakening was palpable.
They looked fragile at the back and were often out-strength by Brentford. Doubts about Salah's lack of impact will also continue, even though he scored a fine late goal to end a goalless streak of more than a month in the Premier League.
Brentford's long-range threat could not have escaped Slot's attention, but his team were left cold to the tactic on a cold night in south-west London.
Michael Kayode finished with a long shot inside the area, and when Kristoffer Ajer activated it, Ouattara reacted magnificently to hook his volley past Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Liverpool responded with chances for Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo, but they failed to convince and fell apart again as half-time approached. A magnificent long pass from Mikkel Damsgaard set off Schade, who kept his composure to beat Mamardashvili.
Kerkez fired home from close range in the fifth minute of stoppage time, despite fierce protests from Brentford over an infringement.
Brentford won a penalty when Virgil van Dijk touched Ouattara's foot on the edge of the area, and after a lengthy VAR check, referee Tim Robinson awarded a penalty and Thiago calmly fired home.
Salah's instant control and finishing created a chaotic period of injury time that took the game into the 100th minute, but Brentford held on to claim three thoroughly deserved points.
