Match Week 4 - Burnley vs Liverpool

Liverpool played Burnley at Turf Moor on Match Week Four. Liverpool was looking to extend their run of victories in the Premier League to thirteen. The match was played in front of a crowd of 21,000. The match referee was Christopher Kavanagh. Lineups:                     Liverpool remained unchanged from their match against Arsenal. While Burnley brought in former Everton man Aaron Lennon for his first Premier League start of the calendar year, replacing the injured Johann Berg Gudmundsson. Things were looking good for Burnley and Ashley Barnes, for only Sergio Agureo (16) and Sadio Mane (15) have scored more Premier League goals than the star striker (13). He has also scored in each of his last four Premier League matches (5 goals). For Liverpool, Roberto Firmino had scored home and away against Burnley last season and was on his way to become the first Brazilian to score 50 goals in the Premier League. First Half Analysis: The game started off pretty well, both teams trying to impose themselves in the match. There were chances for both sides; Liverpool got the first opportunity of the match when Mane found Salah just inside the box and the Egyptian’s shot hit the post. Liverpool had another opportunity when a beautiful ball from Alexander-Arnold found Mane inside the box, only to see his shot blocked and sent for a corner. Burnley had a chance to score the first goal of the match when they caught Liverpool off guard after a turnover in possession; Barnes did well to find Lennon whose cross was sent over the bar by Alexander-Arnold. There were a lot of misplaced passes during the game, especially by the Clarets. Passing accuracy in the first half for the home side was at 52% and the away side had 72%. The first goal of the game came when a deflected cross from Alexander-Arnold found the back of the net. Burnley’s goal keeper Nick Pope was left bamboozled with the trajectory of the ball. Liverpool added a second almost immediately after, when Ben Mee gave the ball away at the half way line and Firmino did well to setup Mane with a beautifully weighted ball. The Senegalese man did well to slot it past the Burley goal keeper to increase his tally for the season. Second Half Analysis: Burnley started off the second half the same way the first half had ended. Burnley’s defensive line was not the best, lack of communication across the back line allowed Liverpool forwards to easily get past them. Main culprits were club captain Ben Mee and right back Matthew Lowton. Burnley were unable to build up from the back, losing possession in key midfield areas. Burnley forwards Ashley Barnes, Chris Wood and Aaron Lennon had the fewest touches in the match. Jay Rodriguez came on from the bench for the Clarets, looking to impress the fans after being away from the club for 7 years. Liverpool scored the third goal of the match after Salah was released by Firmino and did well to throw off Pieters and Mee. The ball then fell for the Brazilian, whose shot takes it past the goal keeper. With this goal Roberto Firmino became the first Brazilian to score 50 goals in the Premier League. Firmino was involved in another build up play for Liverpool when his pass found Salah at the edge of the box, and the Egyptian went all by himself and Pieters did well to block his effort. Sadio Mane was frustrated at the Egyptian for not passing the ball to him. Tempers flared at the substitutes bench for Liverpool when Sadio Mane was brought off by Jurgen Klopp.

MOTM: Georginio Wijnaldum. When Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp told the press that it was the ‘best second-ball’ game he has seen from the boys, it was largely due to the Dutchman. He along with Fabinho controlled the midfield. All 3 of the Liverpool midfielders did well to support the team both in attack and defence. Things to take away:

1. Thirteen successive wins for Liverpool in the Premier League and a new club record is an incredible achievement by this amazing team. Liverpool fans would be hoping that their team’s winning streak continues. They head into the international break on the back of four consecutive wins.
2. Burnley will have to work on a few things during the international break, especially communicating well in their back line. They were caught out more than once by the Liverpool forwards. Also to be noted would be their inability to close off spaces in midfield when caught out in transitions. Liverpool players enjoyed this and were able to punish the home side.
3. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp praised his side for playing the best second-ball game he has seen from this side. It translates mainly to the midfield players of Liverpool; Wijnaldum, Fabinho and Henderson did well to win these balls.
4. Liverpool looks to be almost back to being their best; the full backs were supreme, the center back partnership looks strong, the midfield is getting better game by game and the forwards are at their devastating best. The only problem area for Liverpool as a team would be the goal keeper. Don’t take me wrong, Adrian is a good keeper but his distribution is lacking. Liverpool fans would be looking forward to the swift return of their star goal keeper Alisson.