Rare Anfield defeat sees Liverpool's dip in form turn into a crisis
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson concedes a penalty for a challenge on Burnley’s Ashley Barnes. Picture: Jon Super
Liverpool's slight dip in form tonight became a full-blown crisis as Ashley Barnes’ 83rd minute penalty brought Jurgen Klopp’s 68-game unbeaten home run to an unexpected and juddering halt.
Not since Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace came away with a 2-1 win in April 2017 have Liverpool tasted a home loss, a run lasting some 1,369 days. Burnley had not won on this ground for 47 years.
But when Fabinho misjudged a pass on the edge of his area, almost tugging back Barnes as he did, the Brazilian defender allowed his opponent to advance, only for him to be tripped by goalkeeper Alisson.
Barnes dusted himself down, struck an unstoppable spot kick into the right-hand corner and, despite a late scuffed effort from Roberto Firmino which flew just wide, his side were able to hold on for a win that felt like a seismic moment in the current league campaign.
Klopp had taken the drastic step of leaving Mo Salah and Firmino out of his starting line-up although the Liverpool manager, of course, would never have entertained the idea that he had “dropped” the pair.
But by the 57th minute, in a hugely symbolic gesture, he had called the pair off his bench to replace the two players who had taken their place; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Divock Origi.
For the team with the best goals scored tally in the division, the recent problems experienced by Klopp’s team in that department have been little short of baffling.
The Liverpool manager attempted to shake up his team’s attacking game plan — and how — but by full-time rolled, his team had played through 456 minutes of league football since their 7-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace, and had just one goal to their names.
It should have been two. In the last minute of the first half, Burnley defender Ben Mee made his only mistake of a near-immaculate performance, completely miskicking as he tried to deal with a long ball out of defence from the hosts.
That left Origi racing clean through on goal, with only Nick Pope to beat, a task which he achieved with his shot from the edge of the area, only to see the ball thump against the crossbar and fly to safety.
It was the closest Liverpool had come to ending that drought and vindicating Klopp’s bold selection gamble.
Of course, as the Liverpool boss pointed out, the compact schedule makes squad rotation a necessity and there is the not inconsiderable matter of a visit to the old enemy Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday.
But to leave out Salah, the Premier League’s leading scorer, and his partner Firmino simultaneously felt like a seismic move.
If the selection smacked of frustration from the manager, he certainly let that spill over just before the half-time whistle when he and opposite number Sean Dyche engaged in a furious row in the Anfield tunnel.
The pair had been heading to the dressing rooms but came back after referee Mike Dean dealt with a scuffle between Fabinho and Barnes with Liverpool’s Brazilian defender being booked and VAR deciding no further punishment was required.
But with Burnley turning in one of their traditional defensive masterclasses, the game was taking on the air of the recent draw Liverpool endured against struggling West Brom. It was to get worse.
Liverpool’s best chances, apart from the Origi miss, came from long-range shots which were not well-hit enough to create problems for England keeper Nick Pope who opened the second half with a superb double save.
A low strike from Trent Alexander-Arnold saw Pope diving smartly to the foot of his post to save and then, with Mane about to pounce on the loose ball, the Burnley keeper managed to boot the ball behind.
It was a solid effort from Burnley, the only team to take a point from Anfield last season, and dreaming of returning to end Liverpool’s astonishing 68-game unbeaten league run at their own stadium.
Indeed, when Alisson dropped a 13th-minute cross from Robbie Brady, under pressure from Chris Wood, the Liverpool keeper had to recover quickly to block a follow-up effort from Barnes just inside his area to save his embarrassment.
Yet, at the other end, the pattern of recent weeks persisted. By half-time, Liverpool had created 75 shots over the past four and a half games with only one of them going in the goal. It was hardly a shock when Klopp threw on Firmino and Salah before the hour mark had even arrived.
Within minutes, Salah had responded, accepting a Georginio Wijnaldum pass in his stride and forcing Pope into another excellent save, low at his near post.
But the strikers’ current travails were summed up when a rare Burnley slip at the back allowed Andy Robertson to set up Firmino for a promising sight of goal which the out-of-sorts Brazilian stabbed well wide.
Alisson 6; Alexander-Arnold 5, Matip 6, Fabinho 6, Roberston 6; Oxlade-Chamberlain 6 (Firmino 57, 6), Thiago 6, Wijnaldum 6; Shaqiri 5 (Minamino 84), Mane 6, Origi 5 (Salah 57, 7).
Pope 9; Lowton 7, Tarkowski 8, Mee 8, Taylor 7 (Pieters 49, 6); Brady 6 (Gudmundsson 65, 7), Westwood 7, Brownhill 6, McNeil 7; Wood 6, Barnes 8.
M Dean 7
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