LONDON — Champions Liverpool suffered a fourth successive Premier League defeat as they lost 3-2 at Brentford to continue their miserable run of form in the capital.
Arne Slot’s stumbling side fell behind after five minutes when Dango Ouattara volleyed in following a long throw and Kevin Schade went through to make it 2-0 in the 45th.
Milos Kerkez replied for the visitors in first-half stoppage time with his first Liverpool goal from Conor Bradley’s cross.
Liverpool’s expected second-half siege never really materialised, however, and Igor Thiago restored Brentford’s two-goal advantage from the penalty spot on the hour mark.
Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool hope with a clinical finish in the 89th minute but they had left it too late.
It is the first time since 2021 that Liverpool have lost four successive league games, with three of those matches in London after defeats at Crystal Palace and Chelsea, Reuters reported.
Brentford’s second win in a row moved them up to 10th place, two points behind Liverpool. The home fans took delight in taunting Liverpool manager Arne Slot with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” and while the Dutchman need not worry about that, the sense of his side’s title defence wilting was palpable.
They looked fragile at the back, were often out-muscled by Brentford and doubts about Salah’s lack of impact will continue despite him slamming home a fine late goal to end a more than month long scoreless run in the Premier League.
Brentford’s threat from long throws could not have escaped Slot’s attention but his side were caught cold by the tactic on a chilly night in south west London.
Michael Kayode wound up a long delivery into the box and when Kristoffer Ajer flicked it on Ouattara reacted superbly to hook his volley past Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Liverpool responded with chances for Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo but they were not convincing and were undone again as halftime loomed. Mikkel Damsgaard’s superb long pass sent Schade away and he kept his composure to beat Mamardashvili.
Kerkez fired home from close range in the fifth minute of stoppage time despite fierce Brentford protests about an infringement.
Brentford earned a penalty when Virgil Van Dijk clipped the foot of Ouattara on edge of the area and after a long VAR check referee Tim Robinson awarded a spot-kick, and Thiago coolly slotted his shot down the middle.
Salah’s instant control and finish set up a chaotic period of stoppage time that took the game into its 100th minute but Brentford held on for a thoroughly-deserved three points.
Leeds edge West Ham
West Ham United’s miserable Premier League campaign took another hit with a 2-1 loss at Leeds United, extending their worst start to a season in more than 50 years.
The Hammers have collected just four points from their opening nine matches — their poorest return at this stage since the 1973–74 season.
A managerial change has done little to lift the gloom. The departure of Graham Potter, now Sweden’s national coach, and the arrival of Nuno Espírito Santo have failed to halt the slide.
Two goals down inside 15 minutes at Elland Road, West Ham could only muster a late consolation, leaving Nuno as the first Hammers manager since Manuel Pellegrini in 2017 to go winless in his first four English Premier League games.
Ironically, West Ham’s only victory this term came in a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest — under Nuno’s charge earlier in the season.
After the defeat, the Portuguese coach issued a stark warning: “We must change our attitude, the way we approach things. We must commit better, prepare better, work harder.”
“We don’t expect things to change by themselves. Realising we have time can be a mistake if we don’t change things around quickly.”
Captain Jarrod Bowen’s assessment was as stark. “This is the Premier League, and we need to really pull our finger out. As we’re in a real situation.
“We have to face the reality of that. The sooner it starts hitting everyone, it needs to change,” the forward said.
West Ham has conceded 20 goals – four more than the next-worst defence in the league – and are not showing much sharpness up front either, with seven scored.
They have looked weak in physical battles; poorly organised defending set pieces and their tactical approach has been criticised by pundits.
“There are many problems in our club, unfortunately,” added Nuno. “It is not up to us to hide ourselves behind the problems. Everyone has to be alive and do much more and be in the right position.”
