PL REPORT: LIVERPOOL 2-0 BURNLEY

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Clarets don’t make it easy but can’t spoil homecoming party

2021-08-21T14:32:31.463Z

PL REPORT: LIVERPOOL 2-0 BURNLEY

Clarets don’t make it easy but can’t spoil homecoming party

2021-08-21T14:32:31.463Z

Clarets don’t make it easy but can’t spoil homecoming party

The Clarets couldn’t add to their impressive Anfield record but didn’t go down without a fight.

Sean Dyche’s men had been unbeaten on three of their four previous visits to the Reds and so might not have been the most welcome visitors as Liverpool welcomed back the fans.

Those supporters ultimately went off happy but for a long time it was far from comfortable viewing for those hoping to celebrate a home win.

And it needed a second Liverpool goal 20 minutes from the end to finally kill off the Clarets’ challenge after they had pushed the former champions all the way in pursuit of their first points of the season.

Burnley were without Ashley Westwood as the midfielder – an ever-present last season – saw his run of Premier League duty ended by a toe injury.

With Josh Brownhill coming into the starting line-up, along with last season’s match-winner Ashley Barnes in attack, the Clarets started with numbers 1-11.

It’s thought the Premier League hadn’t seen such a team sheet since 1998 and there was also a throwback to a more recent era with a capacity crowd back at Anfield for the first time since March, 2020.

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The home fans had therefore missed Burnley’s last two visits as Dyche’s side first stopped the Reds’ perfect home run towards the 2020 Premier League title and then brought Liverpool’s 68-game unbeaten home league record to an end with January’s 1-0 success.

And as if to prove they weren’t freak results, the Clarets again caused Jurgen Klopp’s side plenty of problems in a first half which frustratingly for Burnley ended with them a goal behind.

Dwight McNeil offered an early glimpse of the threat he would carry with a shot blocked on the line, although a late offside flag would have nullified any celebrations.

Not for the first time, McNeil revelled on the big stage and following a one-two with Chris Wood, he whipped in a near-post cross Wood glanced at goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Becker also had to beat away a fierce drive from McNeil – who might also have had a penalty after being barged over in the box by Trent Alexander-Arnold – after Brownhill and Jack Cork had summed up the Clarets’ approach by winning big tackles to keep the Reds’ on the back foot.

But by then, Liverpool had just got their noses in front with 18 minutes gone.

A threat on the break, the Clarets had dealt with most of what the Reds had to offer but for once Diogo Jota found space to stoop and steer a header past Nick Pope from a Konstantinos Tsmikas’ cross.

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Liverpool had the ball in the net again but a VAR check ruled out Mo Salah’s effort for off-side and with the Clarets still very much in the contest, James Tarkowski headed just wide in first-half stoppage time after Allison had come and failed to reach Matt Lowton’s free-kick.

Further proof that Burnley were capable of again getting some reward came within minutes of the re-start as Barnes – a real handful for the Reds’ back line – swept the ball into the net following excellent work by Lowton, only to have the effort swiftly chalked off for off-side.

Much of the game was being played in Liverpool’s half, although Mane – who had gone close once before the break – missed a decent when he failed to connect after Virgil van Dijk had helped a corner goalwards.

That sparked a spell of pressure which saw McNeil back-track to make a vital block from Salah’s goalbound effort before Pope blocked a Mane effort after the Clarets were aggrieved that Barnes was penalised for a foul at the other end.

The Clarets needed to ride it out to take their fight to the end but with 20 minutes to go Liverpool did find a way through to double their lead as Mane was given too much room to meet Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass and fire past Pope from near the penalty spot.

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That looked like game over and there was to be no way back for Burnley.

But they didn’t buckle and in a stirring finish had a couple of chances to narrow the gap and potentially make it a nervy finish for the hosts.

Ben Mee headed just over from a Brownhill corner and then in stoppage time Barnes was denied by Allison as he looked to add to his famous goal of last season as the Clarets again made Liverpool know they'd been in a game.

Burnley: Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Gudmundsson (Pieters 79), Brownhill, Cork, McNeil; Wood (Rodriguez 75), Barnes.

Substitutes: Hennessey, Norris, Collins, Bardsley, Thomas, Richardson, Dodgson.

Liverpool: Becker; Alexander-Arnold; Matip, van Dijk, Tsmikas (Gomez 90) Elliott, Henderson, Keita (Thiago 81); Salah, Jota (Firmino 81), Mane.

Substitutes: Adrian, Kelleher, Konate, Jones, Minamino, Robertson.

Referee: Mike Dean