Match report: Liverpool beaten away at Brentford in Premier League
Liverpool were beaten 3-1 away at Brentford in the Premier League on Monday evening.
An Ibrahima Konate own goal gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute before they took a two-goal advantage into half-time through Yoane Wissa's header.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pulled one back for the Reds not long after the interval but Bryan Mbeumo's late finish confirmed defeat for the Reds in their opening fixture of 2023.
Team news
There were a trio of alterations to the line-up that defeated Leicester City, as Konate played for the first time since the World Cup.
Fabinho also returned to occupy a midfield spot, with Kostas Tsimikas starting at left-back.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk (Matip, 46), Tsimikas (Robertson, 46), Fabinho, Thiago, Elliott (Keita, 46), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Jones, 83), Salah, Nunez.
Unused substitutes: Kelleher, Gomez, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips.
First half
The visitors flew out of the blocks and forced their opponents into two last-ditch interventions inside the opening 10 minutes.
David Raya saved brilliantly from Virgil van Dijk's effort in the aftermath of a corner, though the flag was later raised due to the No.4's offside position.
Darwin Nunez would have made it 1-0 in the eighth minute had it not been for a Ben Mee block, after Mohamed Salah produced an incredible touch and pass to send the striker through on goal.
But Brentford began to pose the Reds problems and delivered the breakthrough midway through the first period.
Alisson Becker was on hand to save from Mbeumo after he led a counter-attack. However, moments later, the Brentford forward's corner inadvertently deflected off Konate into the back of the net, despite Alisson's attempt to claw away.
Tsimikas nearly provided a quick response but watched his low drive from inside the penalty area be palmed away by Raya.
Brentford had the ball in the net on two more occasions from corner kicks, though both Wissa goals were chalked off for offside.
But he did get on the scoresheet three minutes before half-time when flicking in Mathias Jensen's cross from the left to establish a healthy lead for his side.
Second half
Jürgen Klopp made three substitutions at the half-time interval, introducing Andy Robertson, Joel Matip and Naby Keita. Those changes had an immediate impact on Liverpool's performance level.
Nunez thought he pulled one back when he finished well from Thiago Alcantara's ball over the top – but a VAR review deemed the No.27 offside.
The deficit was halved 120 seconds later, however, as Oxlade-Chamberlain glanced Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross into the back of the net.
Fabinho's skimmer from distance forced Raya into a low save, while Konate headed just wide from a corner as the Reds pressed hard for a leveller.
But after soaking up pressure for most of the second half, Christian Norgaard sent an arrowed pass for Mbeumo to chase. Mbeumo picked up the ball following a tussle with Konate – a challenge Liverpool deemed to be a foul – before slotting past Alisson to restore Brentford's two-goal advantage and clinch the points.