Andoni Iraola praises his team’s patience and execution following Liverpool’s win over Brentford

Andoni Iraola praised his team’s patience and execution after Liverpool secured a 2-1 comeback victory over nine-man Brentford.

The Reds fell behind in Saturday’s Premier League clash at the Gtech Community Stadium when Keane Lewis-Potter opened the scoring with a well-placed header.

The hosts’ Yehor Yarmoliuk was sent off for violent conduct in first-half stoppage time. Liverpool equalised just past the hour mark through Victor Munoz’s low finish before Alexander Isak struck the winner to complete the comeback.

Brentford captain Vitaly Janelt was also dismissed in stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

Read on to see what Andoni Iraola had to say about the match during his post-match press conference.

On how tough a battle the game was overall…

Yes, definitely we got a good battle today. I think they are a very important three points for us because I think it’s very expensive to win here. I think Brentford are a very good team, especially at home, and to finish with three points here is very valuable.

On his view on the Liverpool penalty that VAR overturned in the first half…

I think the penalty situation, watching the replay, I watched it on the screen. It’s clear. I think Dango [Ouattara] touches the ball. I don’t think it’s a penalty, but also I don’t think the VAR should intervene in those situations because there is clear contact after. I remember the Nottingham Forest penalty against us this season, where they tell us it’s not a penalty and the VAR is not going to intervene because there’s contact.

So, I think it is a very similar situation, and I wouldn’t call the penalty live. I think after watching the replay, Dango arrives to touch the ball a little bit, but the way they explain to me the situation against Forest is exactly that one and I don’t think the VAR should intervene.

On how ‘satisfying’ it is for his attacking players to be combining and scoring goals…

I think we played really well the minutes up until we scored the 2-1 against 10 players. I think that we were being patient and we were finding good positions and we were in control of the game really well. Probably more disappointed after we scored because you scored the 2-1 and then you feel like you have something to lose.

You were playing freely, you were finding the good spots, and we were sending a lot of players forward. I think we were doing [that] and then you score the 2-1 and then you don’t know [whether] to stay. Now, a lot of the players see the chance to score. We missed clear counters to finish the game, and it put us back overall. I think the situation against 10 players, we dealt with it quite well.

On Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola’s performances and assists…

Yes, I think both had a lot of influence in the chances the other day [against LASK] and the goals. Also today, Bradley, I think he has missed probably clear chances. The crossbar, I remember, the situation [where] he tries to chip, then the one when he squares to [Lewis] Koumas, like almost against the goalkeeper. [They are] chances that the other day he scored three. But I love that he’s having so many chances and being in those situations. Then after that Rio [Ngumoha] and Flo are players that – especially when you are playing against 10 – are lovely to have in that moment.

On his view of the first red card…

I think it’s a hard one. I have to say it. I’ve seen it in the screen, in the play I looked, but I don’t know. What do you think? I don’t know. I’m not sure if it was or not.

On Wirtz creating the most chances in a single Premier League game this season…

I think, especially in the second half, it’s the situation that if you need a player there, you need Flo. It’s like you’re going to Rio and it’s very similar. There’s very few spaces, small pockets, time on the ball, some delicate things you have to find because Brentford is a team that defends really, really well the box. I think you need players like Flo, like Rio, like Victor, who was lovely attacking against the right-back and who can make the difference.

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