Another toothless performance from the Reds saw Jurgen Klopp’s men being handed a defeat at Anfield for the first time in three years as the Merseysiders blew the chance to close the gap on their Manchester-based rival clubs at the summit.
1 – This was Liverpool’s first defeat in 69 Premier League games at Anfield (W55 D13) since losing 1-2 to Crystal Palace in April 2017. It was the second-longest unbeaten home run in English top-flight history, after Chelsea’s 86 games ending in October 2008. Smash. pic.twitter.com/aym7hcTcpF
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 21, 2021
Ashley Barnes’ late penalty ensured a rather narrow win for Sean Dyche’s side on their visit to what had become a true fortress for Liverpool FC, only for the visitors to leave the famed venue with all three points in the bag.
TEAM NEWS
Both Mohammad Salah and Roberto Firmino were dropped from the starting eleven as Klopp chose to give the rarest of league starts to Divock Origi, with the Belgian being a fringe first-teamer at Anfield all the way through this season.
Jordan Henderson’s sidelining was a shock to many considering the fact that the Liverpool FC skipper had been involved in all of the Reds’ recent outings in top-flight football.
The much-anticipated return of Joel Matip to the XI meant that the Cameroonian international took Henderson’s void at the heart of the backline alongside his now usual partner Fabinho.
Xherdan Shaqiri kept his place in the lineup following last weekend’s impactful showing by the Swiss international against Manchester United in the draw at Anfield and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s name also resurfaced amongst the starters for the hosts.
MATCH PROCEEDINGS
Both teams got off on equal footing in the opening third of the game but it was the hosts who were handed a couple of timely efforts to snatch an early opener.
Sadio Mane’s ambitious header at Nick Pope’s goal was blocked by Dwight McNeil following which Xherdan Shaqiri also attempted to catch the Burnley No.1 off his guard by having a long-range pop but to no avail.
Burnley’s attacking endeavours in the opening 45 minutes was largely restricted to playing the long-ball game into the box and Alisson Becker’s routine intervention time and again meant that the Liverpool FC backline faced no consistent worries.
The most glaring of events in the first half was, however, a major turning point of the Anfield showdown as Divock Origi’s failure to convert a one-on-one chance into a goal for his team meant that both sides went into the tunnel at half-time at nil-nil.
Jurgen Klopp’s men altered their attacking approach greatly in the minutes following the sounding out of the second half whistle and Trent Alexander-Arnold forced a low diving save from his compatriot Pope.
Mohammad Salah, who had been relegated to the bench upon the announcement of the teamsheets prior to the midweek game’s start, was brought on before the hour mark at Anfield and the Egyptian international was quick to get into the action after being teed up by Gini Wijnaldum but Pope was there once again to ensure the visitors stayed in the game.
A scoreline which looked certain to be heading towards a goalless stalemate was subject to a drastic change in plans when Alisson Becker adjudged to have clipped Burnley talisman, Ashley Barnes, in the penalty area and Mike Dean was quick to point to the spot to award Dyche’s men a golden opportunity to seal the win.
Barnes was clinical in his approach and found the back of the net with ease, meaning that the Anfield giants faced the daunting prospects of going further down the top-flight order after what was the first defeat at home for the Premier League holders since April 2017.
