Liverpool’s £400m front line finally clicks as Brentford succumb with nine men

Ji-min Lee Sat, October 17, 2026 at 4:34 PM UTC

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Alexander Isak had a quiet first hour but scored the winner with a fine finish - PA/Adam Davy

Only time will tell if Liverpool’s £400m front line can ever justify the extraordinary amount of money that was spent on them, but this was at least a significant step in the right direction. In a gritty victory away to Brentford, all four of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Bradley Barcola and Victor Muñoz either scored or assisted goals.

Admittedly, the task was made significantly easier by the major turning point of this game: a red card for Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk. At the time of Yarmoliuk’s “headbutting action” towards Liverpool defender Jeremy Jacquet, the visitors were trailing 1-0 and looking worryingly short of ideas in attack.

The Gtech Community Stadium simmered with outrage following that red card, in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time, and the home fans probably had a point. Yes, there was a movement of Yarmoliuk’s head towards Jacquet, but it was hardly a violent butt. Jacquet’s reaction, collapsing to the turf in mock agony, was embarrassing but predictably effective.

Jeremy Jacquet stayed down after light contact was made by Yehor Yarmoliuk - PA/John Walton

Brentford were the better team before this decisive incident and they deserved their lead, given to them by a majestic header by Keane Lewis-Potter. It was a moment of attacking quality that Andoni Iraola’s glitzy attackers had looked unlikely to replicate, especially when Barcola fluffed a one-versus-one showdown with Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

To play an entire half of Premier League football with only ten men is a brutal examination, though, and Brentford were unable to pass the test. Wirtz unleashed Muñoz after an hour, allowing the Spaniard to fire home with his left foot, before Barcola’s header found Isak in the box with 20 minutes remaining.

There have been signs that Isak is finding his scoring touch in a Liverpool touch - Getty Images/Justin Setterfield

It was Isak’s fifth goal of the campaign, which means he has now beaten last season’s total tally of four. He has scored in all five of his Premier League appearances against Brentford.

Any hopes of a Brentford comeback evaporated in stoppage time, when the home side lost another man to a red card. This time it was Vitaly Janelt, who received his second yellow for fouling Rio Ngumoha.

More to follow...

05:28pm

The table as things stand

05:27pm

Arbeloa: I can’t believe it was just 1-0

Speaking to Sky Sports after his first Premier League win as Fulham head coach, Arbeloa said: “I’m so happy, happy for my players, happy for my supporters, happy for everyone at the club that they deserve this victory. We [waited] a lot of time and some many games that I think we deserved this victory before, but today we did a very good game and yes, I can’t believe that the game finished just 1-0.”

05:20pm

A step in the right direction

05:14pm

Arbeloa celebrates first Premier League win

05:12pm

Another Haaland record

05:09pm

Haaland limps straight down tunnel

Erling Haaland straight down the tunnel at full-time here. He was limping for the last minute of the match after a block from Jack Clarke caught his ankle/shin area.

Haaland struggles through the final minutes of City’s win over Ipswich - PA/Martin Rickett

05:05pm

Full-time: Brentford 1 Liverpool 2

Liverpool turn things around, but you wonder whether this match would have ended differently had Yarmoliuk kept his head on the stroke of half-time.

05:04pm

Full-time: Manchester City 3 Ipswich Town 2

Haaland’s double is enough for City today, but the Norwegian hobbles down the tunnel immediately having taken a knock in the dying minutes of the game. It is to be seen if that’s anything to be worried about... City maintain their perfect record, anyhow.

05:03pm

90+5min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 2

Brentford have not given up, but Liverpool are hanging on. Barcola the latest player to make a meaningful defensive intervention.

05:01pm

90+11min: Manchester City 3 Ipswich Town 2

Fatawu is presented with an opening but the Ghana winger loses his footing and the chance passes Ipswich by.

05:00pm

RED CARD!

A second Brentford red card! Janelt pushes Ngumoha with the youngster bearing down on goal and is given his marching orders. The hosts will finish this match with nine men.

Janelt sees red - Reuters/Peter Cziborra

04:57pm

90+6min: Manchester City 3 Ipswich Town 2

Could have been 4-2. Ndiaye tries to shape an effort around Walton instead of squaring to Haaland and the chance to put the game to bed goes begging.

Twelve minutes of time added on have been indicated.

04:54pm

Full-time: Fulham 1 Hull City 0

Fulham have won a Premier League football match! Arbeloa will breathe a sigh of relief after that. The hosts were by far the better side but almost undid their own good work at the end.

04:52pm

RED CARD!

Sessegnon is off deep into stoppage time for a poor challenge on Hull’s Vaz.

Fulham are making themselves work for what would be their first three points of the season. All self-inflicted, of course.

04:50pm

GOAL! Flemming scores from the spot

Manchester City 3 Ipswich Town 2 (Flemming) It could have been 4-1 moments ago, but instead City are in for a nervy finish. Flemming goes straight down the middle.

Flemming scores from the spot - Reuters/Craig Brough

04:50pm

Penalty to Ipswich!

The referee goes to the monitor after Guehi fells Fatawu inside the City box... and the penalty is awarded!

04:49pm

82min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 2

Barcola hits the woodwork! The Frenchman attempts to lob Kelleher off the second phase of a corner but his effort comes off the crossbar.

04:47pm

...or not! VAR chalks off Haaland’s third

Enzo was offside in the build-up.

04:46pm

GOAL! Haaland completes hat-trick

Manchester City 4 Ipswich Town 1 (Haaland) Ndiaye’s effort crashes off the crossbar and the ball falls to the feet of Enzo, who picks out Haaland and the Norwegian does the rest. What a finish. That’s his 13th City hat-trick.

04:44pm

76min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 2

Huge chance for Brentford! Anthony flashes a threatening ball across the face of goal and there Thiago is waiting and surely should score! He cannot arrange his feet quickly enough and Alisson is able to gather the ball with ease.

04:41pm

74min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 2

Liverpool’s front four have taken some criticism this season, and rightly so, but they have turned up in this second half. Wirtz assisted Munoz for the equaliser, and now Barcola has assisted Isak for the second.

The red card was the turning point in this game but the £400m frontline have delivered what was expected of them since the break.

Isak celebrates scoring Liverpool’s second - Reuters/Ian Walton

04:38pm

GOAL! Isak puts Liverpool in front

Brentford 1 Liverpool 2 (Isak) The Swede is only just back from injury, and in all fairness has not looked great for much of this afternoon, but he’s put Liverpool infront here. Mac Allister plays a one-two with Wirtz down the right and the ball is worked to Barcola at the far post. The France winger nods it into the path of Isak who composes himself before spearing the ball beyond Kelleher.

04:37pm

80min: Fulham 1 Hull City 0

Hull haven’t given up the ghost at Craven Cottage, knowing how easily Fulham crumbled last time out. Belloumi tries his luck from distance but cannot find the target.

04:34pm

67min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 1

Superb finish by Victor Munoz to level the scores here. Brentford were caught upfield and they were in trouble from the moment Florian Wirtz was able to slide the ball in behind for the Spanish winger. It comes as Liverpool were just starting to make their numerical advantage count.

Munoz celebrates scoring Liverpool’s equaliser - Reuters/Peter Cziborra

04:31pm

GOAL! Haaland extends City’s lead

Manchester City 3 Ipswich Town 1 (Haaland) Ndiaye does well to play in Haaland who breezes past Outtara before lacing the ball into the bottom corner.

04:31pm

GOAL! Munoz equalises for Liverpool

Brentford 1 Liverpool 1 (Munoz) Ngumoha plays the ball infield to Wirtz on the half-way line, and the German threads a ball in behind for the rapid Munoz to gallop on to, he cuts inside Lewis-Potter and fires the ball beyond Kelleher with his left foot.

04:28pm

71min: Fulham 1 Hull City 0

Iwobi goes close. His curled effort has Tzolakis scrambling but zips just wide of the mark.

04:26pm

66min: Manchester City 2 Ipswich Town 1

Fernandez, on as a second-half substitute, tries his luck with a free-kick from 25 yards out, but he cannot get the requisite dip on the ball to bring it down and it flies over.

04:24pm

67min: Fulham 1 Hull City 0

Fulham are still dominating the ball and have been by far the better side. Their possession share remains in the high seventies. They’ve completed 476 passes to Hull’s 94.

A second goal would surely put this one to bed.

04:21pm

54min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 0

Liverpool brought on Jeremie Frimpong as a half-time substitute but he’s already limped off. That’s the second injury they have picked up today, after Dominik Szoboszlai.

On comes Rio Ngumoha...

04:20pm

52min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 0

This is a proper test of Liverpool’s creative ability now. Ten-man Brentford are going to sit deep for most of this second half, I am sure. Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Bradley Barcola... time to deliver some game-changing quality.

04:19pm

51min: Brentford 1 Liverpool 0

Jacquet goes into the book. A loose pass out from the back is picked off my Brentford substitute Schade and Jacquet snaps in too enthusiastically and receives a yellow.

04:17pm

60min: Fulham 1 Hull City 0

Chance! Will Fulham rue all these missed chances? King is involved once more, standing up a cross to the back post where Garcia nods down for Iwobi to stroke goalwards near the penalty spot, but Tzolakis does well to get down low to his left and keep Fulham’s advantage to just one goal.

04:14pm

54min: Manchester City 2 Ipswich Town 1

Mateo Kovacic comes off injured for City. It is probably just a knock as he’s sat on the bench rather than heading down the tunnel. Was a standout player in the first half.

04:13pm

57min: Fulham 1 Hull City 0

Close! Ajayi’s clearance comes straight back and Charles works the ball to King on the right, but with just the keeper to beat, the midfielder’s effort is saved by Tzolakis with his feet. King really should be scoring there.

04:10pm

Under way at Fulham and City

Still some time before the Liverpool game resumes given the time added on at the end of the first half.

04:09pm

Martinez update

Following his clash of heads with Jarrad Branthwaite in the lunchtime kick-off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Chelsea goalkeeper has now been taken to hospital to undergo precautionary tests.

04:07pm

Can Liverpool punish 10-man Brentford?

03:57pm

Half-time: Brentford 1 Liverpool 0

Andrews will be furious with how that first half ended. His side had done brilliantly to establish a lead, but will have their work cut out keeping Liverpool out after the break with the visitors a man to the good.

John Brooks shows his red card to Yarmoliuk - PA/Adam Davy

03:53pm

Red card! Yarmoliuk butts Jacquet

With half-time fast approaching and Brentford in front, this is absolute madness. Yarmoliuk looks to have butted Jacquet in an incident that reminds of Bentacur’s red card at Old Trafford last weekend.

The referee is sent to the pitchside monitor after a lengthy delay and Yarmoliuk is off!

We’ve had the second VAR review in just a few minutes here, and this one has resulted in a red card for Brentford’s Yehor Yarmoliuk for a “headbutting action”. I have to say, this feels harsh. It’s pretty tame. There is a tiny movement towards Jacquet, who collapsed to the turf in dramatic fashion, but he’s hardly caused the Liverpool defender any damage. That will change the dynamic of this game.

03:52pm

Half-time: Manchester City 2 Ipswich Town 1

Haaland restores City’s lead after Maeda had cancelled out Foden’s opener.

Haaland heads home to put City back in front - AP/Dave Thompson

03:48pm

Half-time: Fulham take lead into break

Arbeloa’s side are in front and could have been ahead by a wider margin, but we’ve been here before...

03:47pm

Etihad taunt Neville

Gary Neville is a w-----, is a w-----.....is quite a loud chant here at City. Fans in a good mood here after Erling Haaland scored in his eighth game in a row.

03:45pm

GOAL! Lewis-Potter heads Brentford into lead

Brentford 1 Liverpool 0 (Lewis-Potter) Outtara curls in a wonderful cross and Lewis-Potter steals in to head the ball beyond Alisson from 10 yards out.

Brentford take the lead, and it’s a lead they probably just about deserve on the run of play. It’s an absolutely superb header by Keane Lewis-Potter, up from left-back, as he thumps Igor Thiago’s cross into the top corner of Liverpool’s net. Textbook technique.

Lewis-Potter celebrates scoring against Liverpool - Getty Images/Shaun Brooks

03:43pm

Penalty to Liverpool ...or is it?

Just after Wirtz was denied a penalty of his own, Mac Allister looks to have won a spot-kick for real off a challenge from Outtara. The referee gives it, but is then sent to the monitor and the decision is reversed. Correct decision. Outtara clearly got a piece of the ball first.

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Liverpool have been awarded a penalty but I don’t think this will stand. It shouldn’t stand. Dango Ouattara got a touch on the ball when he lunged in on Alexis Mac Allister.

Yep, the penalty has been overturned. Referee John Brooks missed Outtara’s touch on first viewing but the replays were pretty conclusive.

03:38pm

GOAL! Haaland puts City back in front

Manchester City 2 Ipswich Town 1 (Haaland) Kovacic wriggles free of his markers and darts to the by-line. He’s able to stand up a cross and Haaland heads the ball forcefully downwards - just as your grassroots football coach always told you to - and Walton is unable to keep it out. Probably should have done better.

03:34pm

GOAL! Iwobi puts Fulham in front

Fulham 1 Hull City 0 (Iwobi) A big, big goal for Fulham and Arbeloa. They are finally able to convert their overwhelming dominance with the ball into something material. This goal comes at the end of a sweeping move, with Iwobi stroking the ball beyond Tzolakis, who probably should have done better.

03:33pm

34min: Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Bradley Barcola may not be justifying his fee at Liverpool yet but another Frenchman, Jeremy Jacquet, certainly is. The centre-back has been excellent all season and he has just produced a goal-saving challenge on Brentford’s Igor Thiago. A sliding tackle, perfectly timed, just as Thiago was about to score.

03:32pm

33min: Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Brentford are getting the ball forward quickly, and Kelleher is the one to initiate the latest move. He finds Thiago on the halfway line, who gets the ball back off Outtara, but the Brazilian’s effort is well blocked by Van Dijk.

Some bad news for Liverpool, though, as Szoboszlai sits on the turf. It looks like his afternoon might already be over.

03:27pm

26min: Manchester City 1 Ipswich Town 1

Daizen Maeda showed good strength to hold off Marc Guehi’s challenge before scoring his first goal for Ipswich since signing from Celtic. City will be disappointed with the defending there - it was a straightforward ball down the channel from Abdoul Ouattara.

Maeda levels the score - Reuters/Ian Hodgson

Before that Phil Foden sent a message to Thomas Tuchel with the opening goal. Foden, playing in central midfield, was left out of the last England squad and has seen Alex Scott climb above him in the pecking order. But Scott is injured for next month’s international which may give Foden a chance.

Foden and Doku combine to open the scoring - Getty Images/Isaac Parkin

03:26pm

27min: Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Was Bradley Barcola’s midweek hat-trick the start of a great run of form for the £123m forward? Not on this evidence. A defensive mix-up allowed the Frenchman a clear run at goal, one-on-one with Brentford’s Caoimhin Kelleher, but his finish was woeful. An attempted dink that bobbled harmlessly wide. “What a waste of money,” comes the cry from the Brentford fans.

03:23pm

GOAL! Ipswich respond immediately

Manchester City 1 Ipswich Town 1 (Maeda) Woah, barely a minute between these two goals at the Etihad. Guehi relinquishes possession to Maeda and, left alone in the box, he stears the ball into the far bottom corner.

03:22pm

GOAL! Foden scores first goal since 2025

Manchester City 1 Ipswich Town 0 (Foden) While Foden has scored, huge credit must go to Doku, who did brilliantly down the left, working the ball on to his right foot before squaring to Foden who gets a shot away - Walton does well to get a hand on the ball, but he cannot keep it out.

03:20pm

18min: Manchester City 0 Ipswich 0

We’re still goalless at the Etihad...

Marc Guehi and Emersonn compete for the ball - PA/Martin Rickett

03:19pm

18min: Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Liverpool are looking bright, with Barcola and Wirtz combining well - just as they did in midweek - to force a corner. The ball is worked to Mac Allister on the edge of the box but his effort sails well over.

03:16pm

14min: Manchester City 0 Ipswich 0

“You’re going down with the City,” sing the home fans at the Ipswich travelling support.

City fans sing at the Etihad - Reuters/Ian Hodgson

03:15pm

13min: Fulham 0 Hull City 0

Arbeloa’s side have dominated the ball thus far, claiming an 87 per cent share of the ball. Hull have completed a grand total of 14 passes. But this has been the story of their season so far, lots of the ball but very little incision. Let’s see if they can be more productive this afternoon.

03:11pm

12 min: Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Bright start by Brentford here, although Liverpool have just created their first chance of the game as Szoboszlai shoots over from the edge of the box.

03:10pm

9min: Brentford 0 Liverpool 0

Thiago is putting himself about in Liverpool’s box, winning a corner which is headed behind for another by Van Dijk, but it comes to nothing.

Liverpool break and their sweeping move up the field comes to Wirtz whose cut-back picks out Szoboszlai perfectly but the midfielder miscues and his effort does not trouble Kelleher.

03:06pm

Diop refuses to take the knee

Ipswich centre-back Issa Diop did not take the knee like the other players on the pitch just before kick-off here at the Etihad Stadium. The Premier League’s ‘No Room For Racism’ initiative is this weekend and players have been invited to kneel on the pitch. Some players believe taking the knee has lost its meaning and impact.

03:05pm

3min: Manchester City 0 Ipswich 0

As expected, Ipswich have dropped into a deep five-man block with very little space between their lines. It will be up to City’s creative players to fashion chances this afternoon.

03:04pm

3min: Fulham 0 Hull City 0

Fulham simply need to win today and they get off to a good start. Iwobi goes close with an early effort which is turned behind by Tzolakis.

03:01pm

City fans boo Premier League anthem

Huge boos and whistles for the Premier League anthem at the Etihad Stadium, with the final part of it drowned out by chants of “City, City, City.” Fans have made their feelings clear after the guilty verdict from the competition’s independent commission, with the club appealing the decision.

The anthem never gets a warm reception here - but that is the loudest I’ve heard the dissent.

03:00pm

We’re under way!

Brentford-Liverpool is the first game to get going... Good luck one and all.

02:57pm

Five-minute warning

Kick-offs in our three 3pm fixtures are moments away as players emerge from tunnels at grounds across the country.

Just enough time to make a brew...

02:54pm

Etihad goes bananas

The Etihad has gone bananas. The inflatables are all over the ground and it is believed that demand has exceeded supply. The image on the front of the matchday programme is of the inflatable bananas on the terraces, just like 40 years ago when the craze first started.

Ex-City player Imre Varadi was nicknamed ‘Imre Banana’ which sparked the blow-up trend and now he is the supplier of the bananas to the club.

Inflatable bananas are in good supply at the Etihad this afternoon - PA/Martin Rickett

Here’s what Maresca had to say about the trend:

02:52pm

Hull dig out a classic vs Fulham

Tom Eaves won’t score a finer goal than this screamer at Craven Cottage in 2019. Hull will hope to replicate the 3-0 scoreline from that day.

02:48pm

Final preparations at the Etihad

Erling Haaland limbers up for City’s encounter with Ipswich - Reuters/Ian Hodgson

Phil Foden returns from suspension after his red card in the Manchester Derby - Reuters/Ian Hodgson

02:44pm

Fulham’s miserable start

Arbeloa’s side have only picked up points in draws against Liverpool and Manchester United. Can Fulham record their first league win of the season?

Aug 24: Fulham 2 Chelsea 3 Aug 30: Sunderland 1 Fulham 0Sep 5: Fulham 2 Crystal Palace 3Sep 12: Liverpool 0 Fulham 0Sep 20: Fulham 1 Manchester United 1Oct 10: Ipswich Town 2 Fulham 1

02:44pm

Iraola looking to break Brentford duck

One of the advantages of Iraola’s Anfield appointment was his Premier League experience with Bournemouth. The Basque well knows the division and has plenty of positive memories from which to borrow.

However, there will also be some scar tissue, and that certainly is the case with Brentford. Iraola never beat the Bees in seven attempts (five draws, two defeats), a run which included a 4-1 thrashing at the Gtech Community Stadium in his final season at Bournemouth.

Iraola is hoping to reverse his miserable record against Brentford - Getty Images/Glyn Kirk

02:40pm

Full-time: Everton 0 Chelsea 2

It’s back-to-back wins for Chelsea and a rare clean sheet, their first since January. But all thoughts will be with Emi Martinez after his clash of heads with Branthwaite. Hopefully we get some good news on that front soon. Follow the latest updates here.

02:33pm

Maresca mixes things up

Enzo Maresca has been looking for opportunities for rest his key players - but Erling Haaland is a player that is impossible to rest. He has scored in his last seven matches and leads Manchester City’s attack again.

But Maresca has changed half of his team from the line-up defeated by Paris St-Germain in the week. Jeremy Doku and City’s first-choice centre-backs are the others to keep their place. The rest are drafted in to face Ipswich, with Matheus Nunes, Nico O’Reilly, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Iliman Ndiaye and Mateo Kova&ccaroni&cacute are drafted in.

There is also a place for Phil Foden after serving his three-match ban for getting dismissed in the Manchester derby.

Enzo Maresca is in good spirits as he arrives at the Etihad - Getty Images/Isaac Parkin

02:31pm

Brentford: High risk, high reward

Keith Andrews has established a clearly defined, direct style of play which speaks to Brentford’s strengths. His side are third in the Premier League for percentage of passes forward (39.2 per cent) and, coupled with the second-most high turnovers which end in a goal, Brentford have thrived off passages of organised chaos.

To play this way requires quality when you do have the ball, and full-backs Keane Lewis-Potter and Michael Kayode deserve particular praise. They have contributed materially to Brentford’s attacks, helping their side to league-high successful crosses (26) and expected goals from set-pieces (4.03).

02:30pm

Redmen on site at Brentford

02:29pm

Man City fans go bananas

City supporters set of flares outside the Etihad Stadium - Getty Images/Matt McNulty

This fan has put his own spin on the inflatable bananas - Getty Images/Kate McShane

02:26pm

Revealed: Full detail of Man City’s ‘irrefutable evidence’ as they look to overturn verdict

Manchester City supporters are backing the owners in their battle with the Premier League - Getty Images/Michael Regan

Manchester City’s claim to have “irrefutable evidence” that will overturn their guilty verdict on appeal is based on a trove of emails, letters and bank statements.

A re-examination of Abu Dhabi government documents, receipts and testimony from 24 witnesses – all of which the club believe were wrongly dismissed at the original hearing – will be central in attempts to force a full or partial acquittal or retrial, according to people familiar with the case.

City’s legal team will attempt to demonstrate “fundamental errors” in tests applied by an independent commission to the Premier League’s case that commercial revenue was artificially inflated by £920m. Sources with understanding of City’s case have told Telegraph Sport the club are bullish about their appeal, based on:

Contemporaneous bank statements, government records and receipts they believe confirm the Abu Dhabi government as the source of funds for financing of deals

More recent evidence from the Abu Dhabi government reaffirmingthe accuracy of the original records

What they view as fundamental inconsistencies in the findings.

02:21pm

Fulham owner addresses poor form

Shahid Khan, Fulham’s owner, insists that his team are on a “positive path” despite remaining winless in the Premier League after six matches.

In his programme notes, he wrote: “I want to reflect on our recent form. Prior to the international break, we were trending upward… That momentum carried us through most of Saturday’s match at Ipswich Town, but we all know how that ended. The result was devastating for all of us, and I won’t pretend otherwise.

“And yet, I am reminded of the positive path we have been on and the genuine potential of this team. Our squad is strong, while still coming together. We have been in every match, missing only the opportunities we’ve had to complete the task. I believe those opportunities will soon be seized.”

Shahid Khan puts a positive spin on Fulham’s dismal run of form - Ian Kington

02:19pm

A treacherous trip for Liverpool

This feels like an extremely treacherous trip for Liverpool and for Andoni Iraola, who has a poor record against Brentford. With Bournemouth, he did not win any of his six matches against today’s opponents.

The good news for Liverpool is that Alexander Isak and Dominik Szoboszlai are fit enough to start the game, and that Brentford top scorer Kevin Schade is not. Schade is on the bench after picking up a shoulder injury against Aston Villa last weekend.

02:18pm

Liverpool’s returning trio

Alexander Isak has recovered from an injury picked up during the international break - PA/Adam Davy

Dominik Szoboszlai missed last weekend’s defeat by Manchester City but returns to the starting XI - Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Cody Gakpo makes the bench - PA/Adam Davy

02:14pm

Iraola reacts to Barcola hat-trick

Barcola opened his Liverpool account on Wednesday and he will look to continue his goal-scoring form at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Speaking of the France winger, head coach Andoni Iraola said: “I think it’s still very early, especially for him who hasn’t played any minutes in pre-season, he’s kind of been doing pre-season in the first games with us almost [in] official games.

“It’s remarkable because to score three goals in a Champions League game is … not a lot of players can say they have done it.

“It’s something nice for him but I think the best thing is we can feel him, he seems with confidence on the ball [away] from the goals, straight away you could feel he was confident going in one-to-one situations, attacking the spaces and [those] are his strengths.”

02:10pm

Martinez carried off

Chelsea goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been carried off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in the lunchtime fixture after a collision with Jarrad Branthwaite.

Play has just restarted after a lengthy delay – follow the latest updates here.

02:05pm

Hull team news

02:05pm

Fulham team news

02:04pm

Ipswich team news

02:04pm

Man City team news

Anderson and Fernandez are rested after their exploits in midweek. Haaland leads the line.

02:00pm

Brentford team news

01:59pm

Liverpool team news

Isak and Szoboszlai were injury doubts, but both start this afternoon. Gakpo is on the bench.

01:56pm

Does Haaland need a rest?

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the 3pm kick-offs. Manchester City burst the Anfield bubble last weekend but were defeated by Paris St-Germain in a Champions League thriller on Wednesday, and Enzo Maresca will have to manage his leading cast members’ workload. Before Ipswich Town’s visit to the Etihad he floated the idea of resting some of his players at some point.

“We are thinking about this not just with Erling [Haaland] because we have players, unfortunately or fortunately, they are playing all the games with us and all the games with the international teams,” Maresca said in his pre-match press conference.”

“Elliot [Anderson], Enzo [Fernández], Marc [Guéhi], Erling, Rúben [Dias] – so at some point we probably need to give them some rest.”

Ipswich’s spirited start to the season was characterised by a stunning late turnaround against Fulham last weekend. Gary O’Neil’s side have accrued three wins in their first six top-flight matches for the first time since 1993 and may consider today’s match as something of a free hit.

Elsewhere, Liverpool’s confidence-building midweek win in Austria was underlined by Bradley Barcola’s first, second and third goals for the club. It was exactly what the France winger needed, and with Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo emerging as doubts for this afternoon’s trip to Brentford, the attacking burden may fall on Barcola and Florian Wirtz’s shoulders once more.

Barcola opened his Liverpool account in emphatic style on Wednesday - AP/Denes Erdos

Breaking down fourth-placed Brentford, who are one of only three teams to remain undefeated this season, will be a tall task. Keith Andrews’ stock has never been higher, but the same cannot be said for Álvaro Arbeloa, whose winless Fulham are bottom of the league.

Pressure was already mounting before Fulham’s three-game run against the promoted teams, and the late collapse at Portman Road will not have helped the Spaniard’s cause. Defeat by Hull City will not be seen kindly by the club’s hierarchy.

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