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Jürgen Klopp stepped out with a beaming smile for Harvey Elliott, the teenager who seamlessly entered Premier League life and Liverpool midfielder, and for the crowd who made victory a shared experience and more great once again. “We missed you like crazy” was how the Liverpool manager ended his program notes. His players made up for lost time with an impressive victory over Burnley.
Sean Dyche’s side have twice benefited from a cold and quiet Anfield during the lockdown, ruining Liverpool’s undefeated circuit record last season and their 100% winning streak in the title lift the previous season . It was a return to normalcy in business. Goals from Diogo Jota and Sadio Mané ensured victory while Virgil van Dijk and Joël Matip provided reassurance and comfort in central defense. Burnley’s players have lined up sportingly after the final whistle to welcome Van Dijk after his long injury absence, but in truth they will be happy to see him behind him until they find themselves at Turf Moor.
Ahead of Liverpool’s first home game of the season, there had been a touching tribute to former players, management staff, managers and fans who have passed away in the 17 months since the last time a large crowd had turned up. at Anfield. Ray Clemence, Ian St John and Gérard Houllier were among those remembered and celebrated as the Kop erected a 97 mosaic in memory of Andrew Devine, the 97th person unlawfully killed as a result of Hillsborough and recently deceased after being cared for by her devoted family. for 32 years.
Klopp gave Elliott, the gifted 18-year-old midfielder who spent last season on loan at Blackburn, a first Premier League start, and was able to give Jordan Henderson a first start at Liverpool since he was injured groin in February. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho were absent for personal reasons, the latter’s father having died within a week.
Elliott was greeted on the Premier League stage by a false foul from Josh Brownhill. Another late blow soon arrived from the otherwise immaculate Dwight McNeil, whose invention and energy on the left posed a constant threat to Burnley. McNeil had an early shot cleared from the line by Trent Alexander-Arnold – although Chris Wood was offside in the build-up – and almost created a game opener for the New Zealand forward with a delicious cross at the near post . Alisson pushed back Wood’s clear head, Naby Keïta cleared on the second attempt and, in a few seconds, Liverpool illustrated the good margins at the highest level by taking the advantage.
After three disappointing seasons at Anfield, Keïta must hold this mandate. This display – sharp, creative, industrious – has shown that he knows it too. After choking Burnley on one end, the midfielder found Konstantinos Tsimikas in space at the other. Andy Robertson’s substitute left-back swept a precision cross into the heart of the visitors’ penalty area and Jota, rushing past Ben Mee, headed a header past Nick Pope.
Liverpool, pushed by Klopp to push higher on the pitch, were about to double their lead by blocking a Burnley free kick. Keïta and Elliott teamed up to track down Mohamed Salah, who stretched Pope from the edge of the zone. Moments later, Salah beat Pope, and far too easily, after Elliott pierced Burnley’s defense with a perfectly weighted pass into the unmarked Egypt international. Salah’s 99th Premier League goal celebrations cut short by VAR; Even the thicker lines this season couldn’t save him from an offside decision.
Burnley was opened again when Alexander-Arnold gave a glorious pass to Mané, who regained a full volley but continued to cause trouble. Wood just failed to set up Ashley Barnes when he was freed in the area by McNeil. The visitors were clearly instructed to hit the heart of Liverpool’s defense with crosses for the first time and, for the most part, Alisson handled high balls comfortably. In the first half of added time, however, he was beaten on a long Matt Lowton free kick by James Tarkowski and was relieved to see the defender’s towering header slip away from his empty goal. Barnes swept Lowton’s low cross into the roof of Alisson’s net early in the second half before his joy at the Kop was reduced by a clear offside appeal.
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The quality of Liverpool’s attacking play improved dramatically after the break and Burnley’s hopes gradually waned. Van Dijk took off from a corner kick, McNeil blocked Salah’s shot on goal after Elliott delivered another excellent ball and Pope knew little about Mané’s effort as he deflected from a corner of his chest . The threat of a second mounted and arrived in a certain style when Van Dijk sent a ball to Elliott by squeezing the right wing. The teenager found Alexander-Arnold, who made a first pass behind Burnley’s defense for Mané to beat Pope with a convincing finish.
Barnes should have rewarded Burnley’s effort with a consolation goal but, played flawlessly by substitute Jay Rodriguez, he was denied by Alisson’s advance as Liverpool polished their victory with a clean sheet.
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