Burnley 0-1 Liverpool: Home side were courageous but the champions claim three points after unlucky penalty
After 94 minutes of play at Turf Moor, a late handball by Hannibal Mejri allowed Liverpool to steal victory at the death, after Burnley had done excellent work all afternoon to shut out the visitors.
Jeremie Frimpong, returning after a two-match absence through injury, played a vital role when he was brought on with only a few minutes to go.
A cross from the right back hit Hannibal’s arm as the Burnley man was stood just inside the penalty area. Then up stepped Mohamed Salah, who had been anonymous until that point, sending Martin Dubravka the wrong way to maintain the champions’ perfect start to the season.
Dominating the team news before the game was the absence of Alexander Isak from the Liverpool squad. In place of the record signing, Federico Chiesa, who was dropped from the club’s 22-man Champions League squad, made the bench alongside 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha.
Slot explained that Isak had had too few minutes in training to make the squad.
“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,” said Liverpool’s manager. “I can assure the fans that he will be involved on Wednesday, but this game came a bit too early.”
When they got down to it the game was tepid and slow. For all of Liverpool’s grand ambition to splash hundreds of millions on some of the most talented players in Europe and retain the Premier League title, their game was turgid and predictable.
Burnley are newcomers to the league this season, and for what they lack in talent they made up for in heart, organisation and discipline.
“All I ask of this group is that we embrace this weekend, give the best version of ourselves, that we show fight, quality, bravery and control in certain moments,” said Clarets’ manager Scott Parker ahead of the match. “We need to have unbelievable courage.”
His side certainly did so in front of their fans. Playing in a 5-3-2, which later shifted to a 5-4-1 as the game approached its final stages, Burnley were composed and shielded the edges of their penalty box extremely well, led by captain and former Manchester City man Kyle Walker, whose years of experience was evident.
Liverpool lacked inspiration, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Salah all trying in different measures but failing to drag the visitors out of shape.
The away side’s first half was highly unimpressive but in the second there was at least a bit more intensity to their play. Ryan Gravenberch’s volley flew over the bar just after the restart. Szoboszlai misplayed the return pass as Salah tried to initiate a passing triangle on the right. Wirtz shimmied and then tried to drive the ball low into the bottom right corner, but it rolled wide.
Just after the hour, Szoboszlai’s 30-yard rocket was palmed away by Dubravka. It was reminiscent of his winner against Arsenal, except from open play. Then late on, Burnley’s Lesley Ugochukwu was dismissed after collecting a second yellow card for tripping Wirtz just outside the penalty area.
Slot threw on Frimpong and Ngumoha in search of a late winner but even with Burnley’s ten men it didn’t look like it was coming. Then came Hannibal’s handball.
