Behind at half-time, Liverpool won it against ten men: Wirtz made the chances, Muñoz and Isak scored.
The numbers
| Liverpool | Brentford | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 60% | 40% |
| Shots | 21 | 10 |
| xG | 1.64 | 0.88 |
| Touches in opp. box | 38 | 26 |
Result the chances deserved: Liverpool 55% / 25% / Brentford 20% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Alisson, Araújo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Muñoz, Wirtz, Barcola, Isak.
Brentford (4-2-3-1): Kelleher, Kayode, Van den Berg, Ajer, Lewis-Potter, Yarmoliuk, Janelt, Ouattara, Jensen, Anthony, Thiago.
Brentford subs: Schade & Sangaré (46', Ouattara & Jensen), Hickey (70', Van den Berg), Diouf (71', Lewis-Potter), Damsgaard (77', Anthony). Brentford coach: Keith Andrews.
Sent off: Yarmoliuk (45+8', violent conduct, after a VAR review), Janelt (90+2', second yellow). Booked: Barcola, Jacquet, Mac Allister; Thiago, Schade, Janelt. A Liverpool penalty for Ouattara's challenge on Mac Allister was overturned by VAR just before half-time: Ouattara touched the ball first. Line-ups, minutes and cards from FotMob and Liverpool FC.
Key moments, move by move
- Thiago has the ball wide and Liverpool's defence stands off him (Opta Analyst).
- He floats a cross into the box.
- Lewis-Potter, Brentford's left-back, arrives and heads it past Alisson: Brentford score first for the seventh league game in a row.
- Ngumoha plays the ball infield to Wirtz near halfway.
- Wirtz slides it in behind for Muñoz, who has been at right-back since Frimpong's injury.
- Muñoz cuts inside Lewis-Potter onto his left foot.
- He finishes low into the bottom corner past Kelleher.
- Mac Allister and Wirtz work the ball on the right.
- Mac Allister sends a deep cross to the far post.
- Barcola heads it back down into the box.
- Isak drills it in from the left side of the area: his fifth league goal of the season.
Ten men in a low block, and Wirtz finding the pockets
- The first half. Brentford played their usual direct game and Liverpool's 4-2-3-1 started with Araújo as a defensive right-back. Szoboszlai's hamstring went at 32' and Nyoni came on. Brentford went ahead at 44' when Liverpool stood off Thiago and Lewis-Potter headed in his cross (Opta Analyst): they have now scored first in all seven league games.
- The turn. Mac Allister's penalty was overturned by VAR because Ouattara touched the ball first. Then, eight minutes into first-half stoppage time, Yarmoliuk was sent off for a headbutting action on Jacquet before a Liverpool corner. Andrews admitted the red card "changes the dynamics of the game" (Sky Sports).
- Against ten men. Iraola sent on Frimpong for Araújo to give more going forward. Frimpong lasted seven minutes, so Muñoz dropped to right-back with Ngumoha wide in front of him. Wirtz created nine chances from open play, the first Premier League player to do that since Sadio Mané in January 2021 (Opta Analyst). Liverpool finished with 60% of the ball and 21 shots to 10 (FotMob).
- After 2–1. Muñoz scored from Wirtz's pass and Isak from Barcola's knock-down, eight minutes apart. Then the game opened up: Thiago missed from close range at 73' and Barcola hit the crossbar at 79' (Sky Sports). Iraola: "We missed clear counters to finish the game." Janelt's second yellow at 90+2' left Brentford with nine.
Tactical scenes
With Brentford down to ten in a deep block, Wirtz stayed between their midfield and defence and kept turning to play the next pass: in behind for Muñoz's equaliser, and on the right with Mac Allister before Isak's winner. Iraola said that against this Brentford side "you need Flo" to find the small pockets.
Evidence: Wirtz created 9 chances from open play, the first Premier League player to reach nine since Sadio Mané in January 2021 (Opta Analyst); Liverpool had 21 shots to Brentford's 10 (FotMob). Opta Analyst: Brentford 1-2 Liverpool stats · FotMob match page · Liverpool FC: Iraola's press conference
Recreate it in FM26
Liverpool · Iraola's 4-2-3-1 against ten men · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
Iraola's 4-2-3-1 against ten men
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Alisson | Goalkeeper | Goalkeeper |
| RB | Araújo | Full-Back | Holding Full-Back |
| RCB | Jacquet | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Van Dijk | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Kerkez | Wing-Back | Full-Back |
| RDM | Mac Allister | Deep-Lying Playmaker | Screening Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Szoboszlai | Box-to-Box Midfielder | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Muñoz | Inside Forward | Tracking Winger |
| AM | Wirtz | Free Role | Tracking Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Barcola | Wide Forward | Inside Outlet Winger |
| ST | Isak | Centre Forward | Central Outlet Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Creative FreedomMore Expressive
- PatienceWork Ball Into Box
- Attacking WidthWider
- Progress ThroughRight
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementMid Block
- Defensive LineHigher
- Cross EngagementContest
The idea: A Free Role No 10 who finds pockets in a deep block, two wide players who hold the touchline and a centre-forward who waits in the box. Against a side a man down, the width makes the pockets.
What FM26 can't copy: FM26 can't reproduce the red card or the forced reshuffle: Muñoz moved to right-back only because Frimpong was injured.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Endo on at 72' (for Mac Allister). Keep the shape that beat ten men and add Endo once Liverpool lead. The plan doesn't change the result; it takes away the chances Brentford had late on with nine and ten men. It moves Liverpool's win chance from 55% to 58% (xG 1.64–0.88 becomes 1.59–0.73). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer Liverpool needed
Ryan Gravenberch
Szoboszlai lasted 32 minutes and Liverpool had Nyoni and Mac Allister in midfield. Gravenberch carries the ball through a block and covers the space behind it. After 2–1, when Iraola said the side lacked composure, he is the midfielder who keeps the ball and slows the game.
Vitinha
Iraola said Liverpool lacked composure after going 2–1 up and should have kept the ball more instead of going for goal at the first chance. Vitinha's game is exactly that: taking the ball under pressure and keeping it until the right pass is on.
What the analysts said
“I think we played really well the minutes up until we scored the 2-1 against 10 players.”Andoni Iraola (Liverpool FC)
“We missed clear counters to finish the game, and it put us back overall.”Andoni Iraola (Liverpool FC)
“There's very few spaces, small pockets, time on the ball, some delicate things you have to find…”Andoni Iraola on Wirtz (Liverpool FC)
“I do think they were cute, clever - but Yarmo needs to do better, so I can understand why it was a red.”Keith Andrews (Sky Sports)
“I was kind of waiting for my moment and that was the one.”Alexander Isak (Liverpool FC)
Liverpool needed Brentford's red card, but Wirtz did the rest.
What's happening. Liverpool came from behind to win 2–1 at Brentford and moved up to fifth. It was their first away league win after conceding first since December 2023 (Opta Analyst). Brentford were the better side until Yarmoliuk was sent off at the end of the first half. After that, Liverpool had the ball and the chances.
How it works. Ten men usually means a deep 4-4-1 that protects the middle. The answer is width that pins the back four and one player who can find the small gaps between the lines. Muñoz at right-back and Barcola on the left kept Brentford's line stretched, and Wirtz kept finding pockets. The cost: with so many players forward, Liverpool were open once they led.
What the shots say. FotMob has Liverpool ahead on xG, with twice Brentford's shots. One reading: the plan against ten men worked, and Liverpool deserved more than one goal. The other: before the red card Brentford led on the night, and Liverpool's goals came only against a side down to ten. Both are true. The red card turned this game; Wirtz decided it.