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Liverpool beats Brentford 2–1 after VAR red card

By Drooid · Oct 17, 2026, 10:48 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Liverpool Defeat Brentford

Liverpool beat Brentford 2-1 after a VAR-reviewed red card.
Referee John Brooks sent Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk off for a violent head-butt.
VAR confirmed the head-butt inside the penalty area, noting the ball was out of play, so no penalty was awarded.
Bradley Barcola’s late header secured the winning goal, giving Liverpool a three-point haul.

Summary

Wirtz Sparks Liverpool

Florian Wirtz created nine open-play chances, the most for Liverpool in a Premier League match since 2003/04.
Wirtz’s assist to Victor Muñoz was his second league assist of the season, both against Brentford.
Andoni Iraola praised Wirtz’s intelligence in tight spaces and said his decisive pass sparked Liverpool’s comeback.
Jason Cundy called Wirtz ‘the biggest waste of money the Premier League has ever seen’ after the goalless game.

History

Historical Context

When the Premier League adopted Video Assistant Referee technology in the 2019-20 season, its first VAR-mandated red card ignited league-wide debate overall. Referee Mike Dean reversed a tackle by Manchester United’s Paul Pogba after a 12-second VAR review, delivering the inaugural VAR-based dismissal in the league. Today, John Brooks expelled Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk for a head-butt, with VAR confirming the foul yet refusing a penalty in the match. The parallel underscores tightening disciplinary standards, forcing Liverpool to adjust strategies and fueling continued scrutiny of VAR’s influence on Premier League outcomes today.

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Liverpool Defeat Brentford

Liverpool beat Brentford 2-1 after a VAR-reviewed red card.
Referee John Brooks sent Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk off for a violent head-butt.
VAR confirmed the head-butt inside the penalty area, noting the ball was out of play, so no penalty was awarded.
Bradley Barcola’s late header secured the winning goal, giving Liverpool a three-point haul.

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