Liverpool 1 Brentford 1: Schade on target as Brentford secure top-half finish at Anfield | OneFootball

Brentford secured a ninth-place finish in the Premier League after Kevin Schade’s second-half header earned the Bees a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield on the final day of the season.

Curtis Jones had given the hosts the lead shortly before the hour mark, but Schade responded soon after, stooping to head home following a deflected Keane Lewis-Potter cross.

Keith Andrews’ side could even have left Merseyside with all three points. Needing a win to secure European qualification, the Bees carved out one final chance in stoppage time when Vitaly Janelt’s cross found Dango Ouattara inside the six-yard box, but the forward’s header flew agonisingly over the bar.

Jordan Henderson started on his return to the club where he spent 12 years, captaining Liverpool to Premier League and Champions League glory.

Schade also returned to Brentford’s line-up, with Mikkel Damsgaard named among the substitutes and Yehor Yarmoliuk omitted from the matchday squad.

Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah were both named in Arne Slot’s starting XI for their final Liverpool appearances.

The first chance fell to the hosts. Following Salah’s short corner, Robertson’s first-time cross from the right was glanced goalwards by Ibrahima Konaté, but his header was comfortably held by Caoimhín Kelleher.

At the other end, Schade nodded wide after Lewis-Potter had lifted the ball in from the left.

Salah swung his next corner into the box. Kelleher punched clear from almost underneath the crossbar before Nathan Collins blocked Rio Ngumoha’s follow-up effort.

Salah was then denied by the woodwork. Mathias Jensen brought Ryan Gravenberch down on the edge of the box and the Egyptian curled his free-kick around the wall and onto the post before Gravenberch lashed over on the rebound.

Moments later, Salah cut in from the right and forced Kelleher into a smart stop at his near post.

Dominik Szoboszlai then drove into the box and saw his low shot skip narrowly wide of the far post.

Kelleher launched himself to his left to palm away Gravenberch’s fierce 20-yard effort after the midfielder had been picked out by Szoboszlai. Ngumoha’s curling strike from a similar range dipped just wide of the post as Liverpool continued to probe.

Despite the hosts’ pressure, Brentford almost took the lead shortly before the break. Expecting a long throw from Michael Kayode, Liverpool’s players dropped back into their own box.

The full-back instead went short, finding Janelt who quickly shifted the ball onto Henderson.

The midfielder’s deep cross from the right was headed back across goal by Sepp van den Berg and then flicked on by Collins. The ball eventually dropped to Schade who tried to poke home from close range, but Alisson rushed off his line to make a sprawling save.

Slot’s side broke straight up the other end. Szoboszlai crossed from the right and Cody Gakpo’s header was blocked by the recovering Kayode.

Liverpool made a bright start to the second half. Robertson’s cross was headed wide by Konaté, while Salah’s low strike after a string of passes around Brentford’s box was pounced upon by Kelleher.

The Bees then got forward. Ouattara drove inside, hurdling challenges from Virgil van Dijk and Alexis Mac Allister, and attempted to find the far corner, but his shot lacked the whip needed and flew wide of the post.

Brentford fell behind on 58 minutes. Gakpo’s hooked pass released Salah down the right, and the forward picked out the oncoming Curtis Jones in the centre, who tapped into the net from a few yards out.

Replaced by Aaron Hickey on the hour mark, returning hero Henderson was given a standing ovation from all four corners of Anfield.

Liverpool’s lead was short-lived. After the Reds failed to clear their lines following a Kayode cross from the right, Lewis-Potter’s delivery deflected off Jones and Schade beat Alisson with a stooping header.

Needing a win to secure European football, the Bees pushed on for a second goal.

Played in by Jensen, Igor Thiago’s low cross narrowly evaded Ouattara at the back post.

In the first minute of 10 additional minutes, substitute Damsgaard’s free-kick found van den Berg in the penalty area, but the defender was unable to turn the ball towards goal.

Szoboszlai met Jeremie Frimpong’s cross with a deft flick, but Kelleher made a routine save.

After a lightning counter attack, Szoboszlai found Florian Wirtz with an inch-perfect cross from the left and Kelleher spread himself to make an impressive stop and keep Brentford in the game.

Ouattara had a big chance to win it for Brentford at the death. Janelt crossed from the left, finding the forward in the six-yard box, but his header flew over the bar as the Bees were forced to settle for a point at Anfield.

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson; Jones, van Dijk, Konaté (Gomez 89), Robertson (Kirkez 83); Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Ngumoha (Wirtz 72), Gakpo, Salah (Frimpong 74)

Subs not used: Mamardashvili, Endo, Isak, Chiesa, Nyoni

Brentford (4-3-3): Kelleher; Kayode, van den Berg, Collins, Lewis-Potter (Nelson 89); Janelt, Henderson (Hickey 60), Jensen (Damsgaard 83); Ouattara, Thiago, Schade

Subs not used: Valdimarsson, Pinnock, Dasilva, Ajer, Donovan, Furo

Andrews on Anfield draw

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews shared his thoughts on the Bees’ final-day draw against Liverpool.

“It was a pretty emotional day,” he said. “We knew what we were striving towards and that we’d have to win the game.

“We did everything we could to try and make that happen. That was never going to come in a way where we were reckless and too open from the start of the game.

“We gave everything to try and get that win. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite get it."

On the 2025/26 season as a whole, he added: “I’m proud of everybody connected with the club. I felt the trust and belief grow and grow. It shouldn’t be underestimated what we’ve achieved this year after a summer of so much change.

“We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved. Everybody has put everything into it and it’s been a special season”

Henderson: We gave everything this season

Jordan Henderson reflected on the draw against Liverpool, as he returned to Anfield on Sunday.

“We came so close to finding a winner to get us into Europe," he said. "That’s the least that we deserve this season; we’ve given everything. In the end, it’s a tough one to take.

“Overall, we couldn’t have given any more - players, staff and everyone involved in the club. The fans have been amazing for us as well, home and away.

“I’m disappointed for them, the players, and the whole club that we couldn’t quite get over the line.”