Liverpool 4-2 Burnley
Liverpool climbed to within a point of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a home win against struggling Burnley.
Two goals each for Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were enough to see off Sean Dyche’s Clarets after Ashley Westwood had given the visitors a shock lead and Johann Berg Gudmundsson had pulled another goal back.
With Liverpool at 1.17 to win this game among bookies like SBOBET, the result was no surprise. Despite having long periods of possession, the Reds didn’t have it all their way. It was a big win for Jurgen Klopp’s side; while the Premier League 2019 betting odds still favour City, his team is right in the hunt.
Highlights of the game
Klopp wanted to see a reaction from his players after drawing a blank against Everton in a goalless Merseyside derby last week. But the game couldn’t have started any worse for the Reds as Burnley went ahead on just six minutes. Joel Matip headed behind for a corner to the Clarets, and when Ashley Westwood swung it over, James Tarkowski seemed to impede Alisson who stayed rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into the net off the far post.
While they dominated the ball as expected, the Reds didn’t look too threatening in the early stages. But then, the recalled Roberto Firmino took advantage of some poor Burnley defending to draw level. Mo Salah crossed from the bi-line, and Tom Heaton and Tarkowski made a mess of their chance to clear, giving the Brazilian an easy job to poke the ball home.
Anfield breathed a big sigh of relief.
And there was more relief to come just ten minutes later as the Reds took the lead. The ball bounced around the Burnley box and Charlie Taylor put in a good tackle on Salah, but the ball ricocheted to Sadio Mane who curled a beauty into the corner to make it 2-1.
The wind began to pick up, which is never a good sign for Liverpool, and there was little in the way of goalmouth chances for the remainder of the half. Burnley’s biggest attacking threat is in the shape of tough guy Ashley Barnes, who had nine league goals coming into this game but hadn’t seen much of the ball.
Liverpool had plenty of possession at the start of the second half without creating much, Salah curling a shot just over the bar. But just as Burnley started to work their way into the game, Liverpool struck again with a little help from the Clarets. Taylor again made a superb tackle to thwart Salah, but the ball squirted out to Firmino who tapped home his second.
Mane should have made it four, but when he slid in to meet a cross from the deep he somehow hit the bar from six yards out. And the home crowd got the jitters again when Burnley pulled a goal back; substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson finished off a rare piece of good play from the Clarets.
But all those nerves disappeared again when the home side broke away and Mane rounded Heaton to make it four deep into stoppage time.
Key statistics
When yesterday’s Premier League 2019 results came in, the pressure was back on Liverpool after Manchester City beat Watford 3-1 to go four points clear at the top of the Premier League. But they did the business today and are still in the hunt for a first title in 29 years.
Sadio Mane has now scored 50 goals in 109 appearances for Liverpool and has been on target in six consecutive home games.
The Reds are now unbeaten in 36 home games and have won eight of the last 11 meetings with Burnley. There is a small consolation for the Clarets: the opening goal was the first Liverpool had conceded in over 500 minutes of football, and they managed to breach the hosts’ defence again.
What’s next?
Next up for Liverpool is the Champions League and an away second leg fixture at FC Bayern, where Klopp believes his team starts with a big disadvantage, having had a tough match to play today while Bayern has had an extra day off.
Burnley have two home games to come in either side of the international break with Leicester City and Wolves the visitors to Turf Moor. The Clarets will be targeting those games as good chances to get back to winning ways. After an eight-match unbeaten run, they have slumped back into trouble with three defeats. They are just two points above the drop zone with eight games remaining.
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