Redeeming features of a 3-0 defeat are often few and far between. Such was the case at Anfield for Brentford, though there were a handful.
The Bees did have chances in between Liverpool’s dominant spells, were aggressive in midfield, and were stronger for the introduction of 19-year-old Yehor Yarmoliuk for the final 18 minutes.
Yarmoliuk’s appearance in last month’s 3-0 win over Burnley made him the youngest-ever Ukrainian to feature in the Premier League, and he made an impact on Sunday when he replaced Mathias Jensen.
After entering the fray, Yarmoliuk took the closing stages of the game by the scruff of the neck, getting the better of Liverpool midfielders Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai and driving his side forward.
He completed 82 per cent of his passes and won all seven of the tackles he attempted.
It was only a cameo — his fourth in four games — but it suggested that he has the quality and industry to play a starting role for Thomas Frank’s team in the coming weeks.
“I think he’s done better and better and, over the last five or six weeks, he’s trained well and showed that he should be part of this team”, Frank said of Yarmoliuk.
“He deserved his right to come on against Burnley, Chelsea, West Ham and now today. He’s just growing [in influence], so pleased with what I see. We have big belief in Yehor.”
Speaking after the Burnley game, Yarmoliuk said: “I am hoping to get as many minutes as possible in the Premier League following my debut.” He has featured in every game since.
Before the Ukrainian had come on, Mohamed Salah won the match for Liverpool almost single-handedly with another dizzying performance. Though Jurgen Klopp’s side brought what Frank called “their A game”, there were certainly positives for Brentford.
"There were positives for Brentford to take from Anfield... the result was more of a blip than a stumbling block"
Jensen continues to rise in stature and produced some real moments of skill, while goalkeeper Mark Flekken made a string of outstanding stops, particularly one sprawling save to deny a Virgin van Dijk header.
After three wins on the bounce against Burnley, Chelsea and West Ham, Sunday was more of a blip than a stumbling block.
Brentford face Arsenal after the international break, and if Yarmoliuk can impress for Ukraine’s Under-21s, then he might just convince Frank to hand him his first start.
