Brief
Florian Wirtz sparks Liverpool comeback against nine‑man Brentford
Wirtz produced nine chances, the most in a Premier League game in six seasons, as Liverpool rallied to win at Brentford.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Liverpool recovered from a 0‑1 deficit to beat Brentford 2‑0 on Saturday, with German playmaker Florian Wirtz at the centre of the victory, BBC Sport reported.
What happened
After losing their opening league match of the season to Manchester City, Liverpool travelled to Brentford and fell behind early. Brentford were reduced to ten men before half‑time, and Liverpool responded by scoring twice in the second half to secure the win.
What the reports add
BBC Sport noted that Liverpool registered 21 attempts, 14 of them coming after Brentford’s red card. Wirtz created nine chances from open play – the highest tally for any player in a Premier League match over the past six seasons. The last player to match that figure was Sadio Mane for Liverpool against Burnley in January 2021. In an away game, Wirtz is the first to reach nine chances since Samir Nasri’s ten for Manchester City against Tottenham in August 2011.
What was said
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, quoted by BBC Sport, suggested that Wirtz might benefit from being taken out of the team to rebuild confidence. Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said, "They got the job done. First and foremost, that's another win on the road, which is always positive," but added that the side "looked too easy to play against" and that "the spaces are too big".
How it came about
Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a club‑record £116 million in June 2025 and has faced criticism for not matching his transfer fee. Earlier this month, Felo News reported that manager Andoni Iraola defended both Wirtz and new signing Bradley Barcola amid scrutiny (iraola-defends-wirtz-barcola). The Brentford match provided Wirtz with a platform to answer those doubts.
Key facts
- Liverpool beat Brentford 2-0 after Brentford were reduced to ten men. (bbc.co.uk)
- Florian Wirtz created nine chances, the most in a Premier League game in six seasons. (bbc.co.uk)
- Steven Gerrard said Wirtz might benefit from being taken out of the team to rebuild confidence. (bbc.co.uk)
- Danny Murphy criticised Liverpool's defensive shape despite the win. (bbc.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] bbc.co.uk — originally reported as “Florian Wirtz delivers for Liverpool - but is playmaker Andoni Iraola's great conundrum?”
