Liverpool the latest big name to fall to fearless, no-nonsense Bees

Brentford (2) 3 Konate OG 19, Wissa 42, Mbeumo 84

Liverpool (0) 1 Oxlade-Chamberlain 50

No-one seems to have told Brentford about second season syndrome.

Not content with beating both Manchester clubs this season they decided they might as well add Liverpool to the list of big scalps.

And they didn’t even need the injured Ivan Toney to do it.

It was the perfect way to celebrate Thomas Frank signing a contract extension. Up to seventh in the table and loving life.

They have taken up where they left off in the win at the Etihad before the World Cup break and have now secured two wins and a draw in three since the restart.

They are also unbeaten in six in the league since the drubbing at Villa Park in late October and there are simply no games too big for them to contemplate winning.

Last year, fans were excited to see a thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool at the Gtech. Now that doesn’t look such a big deal.

The Bees watched the Reds – or greens as they were on this occasion – hog the ball early on and go close when Darwin Nunez latched on to Mo Salah’s through ball and rounded David Raya –only for Ben Mee to race back and block the goal attempt.

But then they decided to flex their muscles.

Bryan Mbeumo had too much pace for Virgil van Dijk as he raced onto an astute pass from Yoane Wissa and it needed a fine smothering save from Alisson to deny the Cameroon international.

Mbeumo’s response to the near-miss was to swing in a wicked corner to the near post which was missed by a host of players but cannoned into the corner of the net off Ibrahima Konate for an own goal.

The Bees never lose after taking the lead. It is in the Premier League rule book. Look it up.

Raya is in imperious form right now and having snuffed out a chance for an offside van Dijk, he was equal to a low shot straight at him from Konstantinos Tsimikas.

Corners continued to trouble Jurgen Klopp’s men and Wissa had the ball in the net after another flag kick – though this time VAR came to the rescue for the visitors as it brushed Mee on the way into the net.

It was only a brief reprieve as, moments later, Wissa nodded down and just over the line before Alisson could claw the ball away. There were only inches in it, but ref Stuart Atwell was given the tell-tale signal on his wrist bleeper.

Nunez thought he had pulled a goal back early in the second half, only for VAR to intervene with an offside call. But Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain did glance in a header from a cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold to cut the deficit.

Cue a long spell of dominance from the Merseysiders, who made three changes at the interval in a bid to get things moving.

But they carved out little and when Mbeumo chased an angled long pass from Christian Norgaard, the striker managed to outmuscle Konate before firing past Alisson.

It summed up a perfect night for the hosts. “We’re just too good for you,” sang the fans.

Bees: (3-5-2) Raya – Zanka, Pinnock, Mee – Roerslev, Jensen (Dasilva 74), Norgaard, Janelt (Ghoddos 88), Henry (Bech Sorensen 90) – Mbeumo (Canos 88), Wissa (Lewis-Potter 74). Subs not used: Damsgaard, Strakosha, Crama, Trevitt

Reds: (4-3-3) Alisson – Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk (Matip h/t), Tsimikas (Robertson h/t) – Elliott (Keita h/t), Fabinho, Thiago – Salah, Nunez, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Jones 84). Subs not used: Gomez, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Phillips, Kelleher