5 talking points as Liverpool drop precious points in thriller at Brentford

Liverpool paid the price for some poor defending as the Reds dropped two points in the title race in a thriller at Brentford.

Home defender Ethan Pinnock opened the scoring when he tapped home at the far post following some lax marking, before Diogo Jota levelled matters with a header.

Mohamed Salah scored with the help of VAR after he was initially judged to be offside, only for Vitaly Janelt to scramble home an equaliser.

Liverpool then retook the lead with a deflected Curtis Jones effort, only for home substitute Yoane Wissa to scramble home another goal for the delirious hosts, who battled hard and deserved their point.

Here are the game's main talking points.

1. A big day in the title race?

Diogo Jota rises to head Liverpool level ( Image:

Getty Images)

For the first time in a long time Liverpool would probably have gone into a Premier League day thinking that a Manchester City win would not have been the worst result elsewhere.

Pep Guardiola's side managed to stop the Chelsea juggernaut with their 1-0 success at Stamford Bridge earlier in the afternoon, and so that - coupled with Manchester United's loss at home to Aston Villa - opened up the chance for Liverpool to go three points clear at top.

They looked like they were about to do that before Wissa's late intervention, and these dropped points could be vital.

2. The season of Mo Salah continues

Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring Liverpool's second goal after VAR's intervention ( Image:

Action Images via Reuters)

There's still only one of Liverpool's Premier League matches in which Salah hasn't scored this season, as the Egyptian's remarkable form in front of goal continues.

His goal here to put Liverpool 2-1 up - eventually - was his 100th in the Premier League for the Reds (he also scored twice for Chelsea many moons ago) and it came at a time that his team really needed it.

Fabinho's excellent ball over the top just - *just* - got Salah in, and we know by now what comes next.

3. Curtis Jones is here to stay

Curtis Jones got the nod to start in midfield for Liverpool ( Image:

Action Images via Reuters)

It hasn't quite reached the epidemic levels of last season's centre-back issues just yet, but Liverpool are suddenly looking light in the centre of midfield.

Harvey Elliott's surprise inclusion at the start of the season was cruelly stopped with that horrible injury at Leeds, and then in the past week both Thiago and Naby Keita have gone down for what looks like the next couple of games at least - the latter for rather confusingly 'kicking the grass' at Norwich.

And so enter Curtis Jones.

The youth product made what is already his 50th appearance for the Reds in all competitions in that League Cup game at Carrow Road, where he showed that he play in a deeper role to where we've usually seen him.

He was back in amongst things higher up here though, nipping the ball back impressively and setting Salah away for the early chance that Kristoffer Ajer brilliantly cleared off the line, before scoring that wonderful albeit deflected goal in the madness of the second half.

In a department where there will be chances this season, Jones continues to take his.

4. Liverpool's uncertain defence

Ethan Pinnock gives Brentford the lead against Liverpool ( Image:

AFP via Getty Images)

They may now have their defenders back from injury, but there were times when Liverpool's back four looked as though they hadn't played together.

There have been issues with the Reds' last line for a while now, but a sudden uncertainty in Andy Robertson's game - perhaps caused by his injury in pre-season and then a struggle to get back to full fitness - has made them hit home.

The Scot went to sleep down his side for the move that led to Pinnock's opener that sent the home fans wild, and the goal had been coming as uncertainty reigned at times.

It is something Jurgen Klopp is sure to want to work on.

5. Ivan Toney is a problem

Brentford's Ivan Toney (left) beats Joel Matip in the air ( Image:

PA)

Having said all that, Brentford were causing Liverpool a large amount of problems.

Ivan Toney is one of the few forwards in the Premier League who can go toe-to-toe with Virgil van Dijk and still come off standing, and the combination of his presence and Bryan Mbeumo's willingness to break the line makes for a deadly duo.

Toney's strength was really to the fore in the frantic opening to the game, and he looks to be every inch the type of forward and the type of option Liverpool lack.