Match Report
Mohamed Salah’s 95th-minute penalty saw Liverpool claim another dramatic victory in the Premier League as Burnley were beaten 1-0 at Turf Moor.
Sunday’s match looked set to end in frustration and one point for the Reds, despite a dominant second-half performance that followed a somewhat pedestrian display before the break.
Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Federico Chiesa went close to unpicking the Burnley lock before yet more late drama unfolded this season.
Hannibal Mejbri handled Jeremie Frimpong’s cross deep into stoppage time and Salah duly blasted home from 12 yards to preserve the champions’ 100 per cent winning start to their title defence.
Team news
Arne Slot named an unchanged starting XI from the win over Arsenal a fortnight ago, while Frimpong returned as a substitute after injury.
Alexander Isak was not included in the matchday squad, with Slot saying pre-match that Liverpool are aiming for the striker to be able to make his debut against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
First half
Liverpool monopolised possession in the early stages, though Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka remained untested.
Indeed, the game’s first attempt of note was the hosts’ as Jaidon Anthony shot over the crossbar from 18 yards.
Ibrahima Konate headed over from no more than a couple of yards out amid a flurry of corners for the Reds and set-pieces felt like the likeliest avenue for success with their passing lacking fluency as the rain fell heavily.
Slot opted to bring Andy Robertson on for Milos Kerkez – who had earlier been booked – in the closing stages of the first half, and the Scot’s first action was to burst into the area before having an effort on goal saved.
Hugo Ekitike then toe-poked wide after driving in from the left and a half low on goalmouth action ended goalless.
Second half
There was a greater urgency from Liverpool straight after the restart and Gravenberch volleyed narrowly over the bar before Conor Bradley – on at the break in place of Alexis Mac Allister – headed wide.
Florian Wirtz rolled an attempt off target after jinking his way into the box and Szoboszlai, restored to central midfield following Bradley’s introduction, unleashed a powerful drive from distance that Dubravka palmed wide.
The dominance of Slot’s side was increasing, with Burnley now entrenched in their own defensive third.
With a little over 20 minutes left, Chiesa was introduced and the No.14 could have impacted proceedings immediately but glanced his header wide from Robertson’s inviting cross.
Scott Parker’s team were holding firm but their task was made tougher when Lesley Ugochukwu was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 84th minute.
Slot’s final roll of the dice involved Frimpong and Rio Ngumoha coming on for the last few minutes and it was the former’s delivery into the box that Hannibal handled, giving Salah the chance to win it.
He did just that, nervelessly dispatching his penalty high in front of a rapturous away end.
SOURCE: www.liverpoolfc.com
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