Buzzing Brentford hold The Reds in sizzler
Striker Mohamed Salah scored his 100th Premier League goal for Liverpool but the league leaders were still held to a draw by Brentford as the two sides played out a 3-3 thriller last night.
Both sides had efforts cleared off the line in a lively opening before Ethan Pinnock gave Brentford the lead, stabbing the ball home at the back post after a clever free kick routine caught the Liverpool defence flatfooted in the 27th minute.
That lead was short-lived as Diogo Jota headed home Jordan Henderson’s cross to put the Reds level four minutes later, and Salah put his side in front in the 54th with his 100th goal in 151 league appearances for Liverpool.
The Bees refused to give up, levelling in the 63rd minute when defender Pontus Jansson swivelled in the box and hit the crossbar before Vitaly Janelt reacted quickest to head home the rebound.
Curtis Jones put Liverpool back in front four minutes later, cutting in from the left and unleashing a rocket that took a slight deflection before flying into the net as the visitors stepped up to a pace that Brentford struggled to match.
Salah could have put the game out of reach in the 77th minute but he lofted his chip just over the crossbar with only the keeper to beat. It was to prove a costly miss as Brentford snatched a dramatic equaliser through substitute Yoane Wissa in the 82nd minute.
There was still time for more drama as David Raya pulled off a superb save to deny Roberto Firmino and Ivan Toney had what looked to be a late winner for Brentford ruled out for offside.
“It’s what we dream for as kids,” Brentford goal-scorer Janelt told Sky Sports. “Before the game we said we try the best against Liverpool, one of the best teams in the world, and now we draw 3-3.” The draw means Liverpool climb to 14 points after six games, one ahead of Manchester City, who beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge earlier in the day. Brentford are ninth on nine points.
“At 2-1 up we had one or two chances to finish the game off. It gives them that little bit of hope. That’s football sometimes, we’re disappointed with the result but we have to give credit to Brentford,” Liverpool captain Henderson told Sky Sports. -Reuters
A second-half goal from Gabriel Jesus earned Premier League champions Manchester City a deserved 1-0 win over Chelsea yesterday and inflicted a first defeat of the season on Thomas Tuchel’s side.
It was Jesus’s 52nd goal for City and they have never lost a Premier League game in
which he has scored.
“We came to play against one of the best teams in Europe. They play so good and have a lot of amazing players. We knew it was going to be difficult for us,” said Jesus.
In other matches yesterday, JamieVardy scored a brace and an own goal when Leicester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Burnley. Andros Townsend and Abdoulaye Doucoure were on target when Everton beat Norwich City 2-0. Leeds United lost 1-2 to West Ham and Watford shared the spoils 1all
At 2-1 up we had one or two chances to finish the game off.
Jordan Henderson
Liverpool captain