Virgil van Dijk also spoke to Sky: “A well deserved win but if I am Burnley it is never nice to concede a penalty. At the end of the day it was a penalty and Mo scored it perfectly. He is a world class player and we know he can deliver in these moments.
“Key today was not to get frustrated. It could have been a draw as well but we take the three points and move on to Wednesday.”
Mohamed Salah spoke to Sky: “It was tough but I am glad we managed it. We have a few new players in the starting line up and it takes time to adapt to our game and we try our best to make them confident in our game. We don’t give up. We try and push ourselves to the limit and as team we did that.”
Here’s Will Unwin’s match report from Turf Moor.
Liverpool will end the weekend top of the Premier League. Burnley are in 17th.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 4 | 8 | 9 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 | 7 | 9 |
| 4 | AFC Bournemouth | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 6 | Everton | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 | Sunderland | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 8 | Crystal Palace | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 10 | Fulham | 4 | -1 | 5 |
| 11 | Man Utd | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 12 | Brentford | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| 13 | Brighton | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| 14 | Nottm Forest | 4 | -4 | 4 |
| 15 | Leeds | 4 | -5 | 4 |
| 16 | Man City | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 17 | Burnley | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| 18 | West Ham | 4 | -7 | 3 |
| 19 | Aston Villa | 4 | -4 | 2 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 4 | -7 | 0 |
A Nonymous writes in: “Liverpool yet to play well in their four PL games yet sit top of the table with four wins. is that the mark of future champions or is their luck going to run out at some point?”
Andrew Flintoff again: “The way you originally described it sounded like Hannibal just ‘made himself unnaturally bigger’, with his arm/elbow by his side, but that was a half-turn with a full chicken-wing elbow. The only question would be whether it was inside the box or not, but probably just on the inside of the line.”
It was definitely in the box. Stupid boy. Him, not you.
“Football won,” writes in David Wood. Burnley have the right to play how they like, surely. And played their part in the game. Liverpool were hardly Ajax Amsterdam in 1971, either, lots of hoiks into the box.
Mohamed Salah climbs to fourth in the all-time Premier League scoring record, climbing above Andy Cole on 188. Cole, let us recall, never took penalties.
Full-time: Burnley 0-1 Liverpool
They did not play at all well but another late goal rescued Liverpool once more. Hannibal is close to tears. Burnley gave it all but collapsed at the end. Salah stepped up to score the decisive penalty when if he was anyone else he would have been subbed off. Talking of subs, Rio Ngumoha was again crucial to victory.
Updated
90+6 min: The boos ring out but that was a blatant handball. Burnley are denied.
Goal! Burnley 0-1 Liverpool (Salah, 90+5)
He couldn’t hit a barn door all afternoon but that is a perfect penalty. Smashed into the top right, un-saveable.
Updated
Penalty to Liverpool!
Hannibal handles…Ngumoha Frimpong smashes the ball and Hannibal throws out an elbow. He’s distraught.
Updated
90+3 min: Ngumoha opens up space with a feint and pass. Frimpong shoots, but the angle is too acute.
90+2 min: Gakpo down and low, and Dubravka holds on, and for the full eight seconds he is now allowed.
90+1 min: All 10 Burnley players back now. Broja wins a flick on the edge of the box but the ball keeps coming back and back.
90 min: Into the last minute of normal time. Five minutes will be added on.
89 min: Burnley kill more time. On comes Armand Broja for his first appearance. Jaidon Anthony goes off.
88 min: Those Liverpool arrivals happen, Konate and Wirtz going off. Arne Slot agonises at another Salah miskick. He really has had a dog’s dinner of a night.
86 min: Burnley make changes – Joe Worrall for Lyle Foster. That’s the former Forest player, not the 79-year-old former ref from Warrington. Szoboszlai slashes the free-kick from that red card offence into the stands.
Red card for Ugochukwu
84 min: Two more Liverpool subs are coming on: Frimpong and Ngumoha. But first, as Wirtz jinks away, Ugochukwu slides in, and makes a rash challenge. A second yellow, though many Liverpool fans will say he should have gone in the first half.
Updated
82 min: Foster and Hannibal gang up on Konate and Bradley, evasive action required. The ball goes to Szoboszlai, on the edge of a packed area, trying to find his way through. To little avail.
80 min: Another Liverpool corner, with Florentino blocking a Gravenberch shot. The corner is cleared. Sack the set-piece specialist? Call in Austin McPhee?
78 min: Lovely, “ave it” hoof from Kyle Walker to clear his lines. This man learned at the feet of Neil Warnock. Hannibal can’t keep it in.
77 min: Rick Harris gets in touch: “Watching Liverpool toil it occurs to me that they probably need to sign a proven PL goal scorer. Maybe that guy who no longer wants to play for Newcastle? Alexander the Great Big Jessie my disappointed Toon fan mate Steve calls him. Salah may just be suffering from the curse of the colossal new deal.”
Tim Stappard: “Salah hasn’t been good since his massive new contract. Still I’m waiting for him to fall over soon and score a pen.”
76 min: Bradley, who likes a tackle, and gets a few bookings, smashes into Anthony and gets a yellow. The damage is shown off by the victim. Nasty one.
74 min: Another Szoboszlai stinger, but it spins wide.
Mac Millings gets in touch: “Ekitike may be a palindrome, but is he, like Quilindschy Hartman, and anagram of ‘Hint archly, Squidman’?”
72 min: A near-instant chance for Chiesa, from a Robertson cross. It’s headed wide.
71 min: Michael Oliver feels the burn of a Szoboszlai stinger and play stops. That brings off Ekitike for Chiesa, as Liverpool sing his song.
69 min: Federico Chiesa, not in the Champions League squad, is due on soon. He’s a man for the late occasion. They need to find one. Salah to go off? Or Wirtz?
68 min: Florentino, on his debut, looks a player. He almost gets Anthony away, and is a physical competitor.
66 min: Dubravka punches clear when the ball is lobbed, rather aimlessly, into the sky by Robertson. Liverpool knocking on the door, rather bluntly.
Updated
64 min: Bradley tries to release Salah, who runs onwards and attempts a cross that drifts out and beyond Dubravka. Salah is not in a good moment. But how long will that moment last?
63 min: Two Burnley changes: Florentino and Hannibal on, Tchaouna and Cullen off. The levels of energy have been sapping.
Sam Kerr does a Sam Kerr thing: WSL roundup here.
60 min: Kyle Walker is being given a chasing by Gakpo at this point, showing him inside to shoot. That’s dangerous tactics.
59 min: Szoboszlai, finding space, pings a shot on goal that Dubravka has to make a diving save to stop.
57 min: Bradley has to deal with Tchaouna and Hartman’s attempts to chase him down. The Northern Irishman gets the job done.
55 min: Jaidon Anthony on the burst almost plays in Tchaouna, it looking close to it running for the speeding Chadian. Within seconds, Wirtz whips a shot just wide of the post. Better from the German.
55 min: Colum Fordham gets in touch: “Liverpool are having teething troubles with some of their new purchases, Wirtz and Kerkez in particular. The new left back played well in the second half against Arsenal but otherwise is a bit of a conundrum, and Slot was right to bring Andy Robertson on.
“I appreciate your point about the lack of understanding between the new line-up. Ekitike and Salah aren’t reading each other’s minds as Bobby Firminho and Mo used to do. Just realised that Liverpool’s most successful signing thus far (too soon to judge Isak) is Ekitike who, besides being an excellent player, is also a palindrome.”
54 min: Ekitike is penalised for a push in the Burnley area as another cross comes in.
53 min: Eric Peterson gets in touch: “Milos Kerkez will be back in the side soon enough, no worries. Odds are he’s rarely been - and not at this level - on the team overwhelming a side bent on deep defending at all costs, rather than the other way around. That takes two things: calm in the face of repeated frustration, and relentlessness to keep hammering away at that low block. That’s not a natural combination, and if you’ve never been through it before, you gotta learn how to handle it. He’ll have to figure it out. But that’s all. Any new player on the massive clubs (looking at you, Alexander Isak) has to go through it. He’ll be fine.”
51 min: Szoboszlai and Salah link. It isn’t good news for Liverpool…the ball dribbles out.
50 min: Salah, wherefore art thou? He’ll probably score now. But Liverpool look imbalanced when he’s such a passenger.
49 min: Gakpo involved again, and he plays in Robertson, whose cross almost finds Bradley and Burnley beat the ball behind. Nine corners for Liverpool. Dubravaka punches the latest away.
47 min: Did Kyle Walker foul Gakpo for a penalty? He had a couple of nibbles. From the resultant corner, the underrated Gakpo smashes the ball just wide. He’s had a fine season so far.
Back underway at Burnley.
Half-time change: Mac Allister took that whack in the first half and Conor Bradley comes in. Szoboszlai will move to midfield.
Updated
Perhaps the best action was on the sidelines in the South Coast grudge match.
Andy Flintoff is also in touch: “If anyone has a claim for bias against them from the officials (referees, assistants and the VAR), then it would be Mac Allister - what with Tarkowski’s challenge last season and Ugochukwu’s challenge this season not being punished with reds, even after video review.”
Alun Pugh gets in touch: “Greetings John from Kyrgyzstan.
Club football is an entertaining diversion but you can’t beat the real thing. We’re on our way home from Wales’ comprehensive 1-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan in our World Cup Qualifier. We are planning to transit the five ex Soviet ‘Stans but be back in the UK the day before Wales play again in a generic and soulless shopping centre in NW London - but in the meantime can anyone identify a bar in Bishkek with the game on? Diolch.”
Half-time: Burnley 0-0 Liverpool
Liverpool were disappointing but Burnley have been very good, ready for their opponents. The first half is probably best recalled for Milos Kerkez’s swan dive of simulation and his subsequent removal for his own good.
45+2 min: Gravenberch steps forward, the ball spins to Wirtz, whose pass is aimed at Ekitike. That was close. The closest yet, in truth.
45 min: Can Liverpool rescue the half? Burnley retreat to the trenches to see out the 45. There’s three more minutes to come.
44 min: Robertson and Gakpo try to link up, but the ball inside from winger to full-back is too strong.
42 min: A Wirtz corner is bundled away and it goes all the way back to Alisson, with Burnley forwards giving chase. This has not been at all easy for Liverpool.
41 min: Ekitike, quiet so far, goes on a solo mission, weaving to the byline but his final effort is neither fish nor flesh. It required a Salah to read his intentions. Not on each other’s wavelength just yet.
39 min: Robertson almost scores straight away, galloping on like the old days, but his shot will not beat Dubravka.
38 min: Yep, Kerkez is taken off, and Andy Robertson arrives. How long until Kerkez gets back in the team?
37 min: Hartman’s corner causes problems, but Salah is sent away. He is lonesome and whacks the ball into the sky, and that’s a waste.
35 min: Kyle Walker slides across to divert the ball away when Kerkez had an overlap beckoning. Dubravka claims the corner and sends away Kyle Walker but the long ball to Laurent is overhit. Looks like Kerkez is coming off soon.
34 min: The free-kick is aimed at Ekdal who nods wide under heavy pressure from Van Dijk.
Updated
33 min: Salah is penalised for hauling back. Then Kerkez, on sudden death, fouls Anthony. Will he last past half-time?
31 min: Ricochet session in the Burnley box. Szoboszlai’s shot is deflected behind. Again, the Burnley fans cry foul. Considering Ugochukwu’s yellow before, they may wish to reconsider. But won’t.
30 min: Burnley’s fans making lots of noise. Their team has been really well organised. Foster gets a chance to run at Van Dijk, and is run into the corner. He falls over, and Burnley fans want a foul, crying corruption. Give us a break, lads.
28 min: Wirtz loses the ball and then tries to win it back off Lyle Foster, who he can’t get round. Welcome to the NFL.
27 min: This is bitty, lots of physical confrontation, just what Burnley want. Liverpool are seeing lots of the ball but it’s usually with their defenders.
Updated
25 min: Liverpool are not finding much flow. Wasn’t that supposed to be the point of Florian Wirtz? Oh, here’s Mo Salah. You don’t see much of him these days. Teething troubles for the new Liverpool.
23 min: Kerkez booed for his troubles as he has to clear a ball arrowing into the corner.
21 min: Milos Kerkez’s rather odd Liverpool career so far continues with a booking for a clear dive. It was fully deserved, and wasn’t going to fool Michael Oliver.
Updated
18 min: Arne Slot doesn’t look too impressed so far.
16 min: VAR has looked again, and the yellow will stand. Lucky boy? Mac Allister’s ankle seemed to buckle. He is back up, and is booed for his troubles.
15 min: Ooof, Alexis Mac Allister is on the end of a challenge from Ugochukwu. It looked a nasty one but not a red card. The Argentinian stays down.
13 min: This is a more open game than expected. The new Liverpool allow the opposition a bit more leeway.
11 min: Liverpool corner, Gakpo to boom in, and Konate is under it, but it loops over, off the wrong part of his head. That was gettable, if difficult.
Updated
9 min: Liverpool corner, hoiked high into the sky by Kerkez. Now, Szoboszlai is chased down. Burnley beginning to fancy this? Foster is sent away but he’s offside. Liverpool claim Ekitike was fouled in the box. Nothing doing.
7 min: The closest chance so far, and it’s Burnley who have it. The ball is forced to Jaidon Anthony and he smashes just wide. Couple of openings for Burnley on the counter, familiar looseness from Liverpool.
6 min: When Alisson gets the ball at his feet, Burnley do chase him down but soon enough withdraw into their defensive shell.
4 min: A Burnley break but Laurent is the target for a pass that doesn’t reach him. Liverpool go back again, and Gakpo cuts inside but slides wide.
3 min: Feels like Burnley are happy to dig in for this one. Liverpool are not being high-pressed, let’s put it that way.
Away we go at Burnley.
1 min: Liverpool don’t go for the long-ball, garryowen launch to the corner that’s become so fashionable. They instead settle for a session of pass and move. One audible Burnley fan calls Virgil van Dijk a rude word as Mac Allister and Gakpo narrowly fail to link up.
The teams make their way from the corner of Turf Moor, where the dressing-room is located. We await a sight of a suited and booted Isak. Curtis Jones is missing, too. Liverpool’s squad is otherwise fully fit. Arne Slot has been either lucky with injuries or manages them well. You decide.
Scott Parker spoke to Sky: “We gave a challenge ahead of us today. We have challenges every week but we’re playing against a formidable team. We need to be very comfortable in certain moments today and have a certain control about us. That’s going to be the big message.”
On his 9-0 loss as Bournemouth manager at Anfield: “Me as a coach, all of that comes from learning. I’m a better version of myself four years ago, I am a better version of myself two days ago. But the Premier League has evolved as well. It’s a tough league, and I’m excited about today to try and execute and plan today and get a result.”
The defeat was three years ago to be precise, though it’s fair to say Parker has proven his credentials.
Many football fans – and those in the wider sporting world – are reeling from the sad death of Ricky Hatton, a fan like they are of Manchester City. He was a true local hero.
Arne Slot on Isak’s absence. “We’ve decided it is the best for him to have a proper week of training instead of every time going for five or ten minutes of playing. I can assure the fans that he will be involved on Wednesday - but this game came a bit too early.”
Liverpool host Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League.
Two Burnley changes from that 3-2 loss at Old Trafford. Jacob Bruun Larsen is omitted and Hannibal Mejbri benched. for Josh Laurent and Loum Tchaouna. Armando Broja, signed from Chelsea, is on the bench.
So, Liverpool unchanged from the team that beat Arsenal, free-kick hero Dominik Szoboszlai continues at right-back, despite Jeremie Frimpong’s return. He’s benched alongside Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley. You can never have too many right-backs.
The teams - confirmed, no Isak
Burnley: Dubrabka, Walker, Hartman, Esteve, Ekdal, Ugochukwu, Anthony, Cullen, Tchaouna, Laurent, Foster. Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Humphreys, Pires, Luis, Flemming, Mejbri, Edwards, Broja
Liverpool: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Wirtz, Salah, Ekitike, Gakpo. Subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Bradley, Chiesa, Robertson, Frimpong, Nyoni, Ngumoha
Updated
Sounds like Arne Slot would like to put the Isak saga behind Liverpool and focus on the games ahead.
Woltemade was on the scoresheet on Saturday, so over to you, Florian Wirtz?
The word is that there will be NO Alexander Isak for Liverpool, not even on the bench. Slot said on Friday he and the new strike have only spoken a couple of times. Federico Chiesa, left out of the Champions League squad, is likely to be included in the 18, though it’s an unchanged team, with Hugo Ekitike leading the line.
Arne Slot on facing Burnley: “We know that every game is difficult and I only have to look back at last season to understand that. We had problems with Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton.”
On Isak: ”With us playing so many games there’s little training time. That is going to be a challenge but we have not signed him for the next two weeks we have signed him for six years and the fans have to keep this in mind.”
Scott Parker, the Burnley manager, spoke this week ahead of the Liverpool game:
“There is work that goes into every plan which starts really early in the week. You try to identify and express areas to the players. No doubt Liverpool can cause you more problems, and there is a few more things you need to be aware of, but the tactical work stays very consistent.
“We will try and keep it going. All I ask of this group is that we embrace this weekend, give the best version of ourselves - we show fight, quality, bravery and control in certain moments. We need to have unbelievable courage. You can win and lose matches, but if my group give me that I will be more than happy.”
Preamble
To Turf Moor, the stadium with the best view in English football. That combination of green, rolling hills and satanic mills really stirs the soul. Two fine Lancastrian – in old money – institutions meet. For Liverpool, a club of globalisation, we await a first glimpse of Alexander Isak, most probably in a club issue tracksuit. For Burnley, there’s the hope the defensive shield of last season can be restored; it folded two weeks ago when facing mighty Manchester United…what has Scott E Parker got planned for Arne Slot’s firepower? Liverpool haven’t been much cop at defending, either.
It promises to be fun. So, what we saying here? 0-0? Those games can be good, too.
Kick-off at 2pm UK time, all the news before. Join me.
