Nunez and Jota on the mark as Liverpool return to Premier League summit

In the final minute of the 90, Diogo Jota, making his first appearance in more than a month, fired through James Trafford’s legs from a tight angle after Luis Diaz’s excellent backheel.

DROUGHT OVER: Liverpool's Darwin Nunez gets past Burnley's Charlie Taylor. Pic: Richard Sellers/PA Wire.

BURNLEY 0-2 LIVERPOOL

Liverpool returned to the top of the Premier League as strikes from Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota gave them a 2-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

Nunez’s fifth-minute strike, his first in 13 games, set the Reds on their way, with Jota emerging from the bench to put the seal on a win that lifts them two points clear of Arsenal, who take on West Ham United on Wednesday.

And while Jurgen Klopp will undoubtedly wonder how his side did not win more comfortably here - both Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott had goals ruled out and Burnley ‘keeper James Trafford made a series of fine saves - the reality is that his side are firmly in the title picture at the halfway stage, an unexpected development given their summer turmoil.

Nunez was one of five players brought into Liverpool’s starting 11 by Klopp following the draw at Arsenal last Saturday, and his rotation was rewarded immediately as the former Benfica man delivered the opening goal inside six minutes.

It was a fine finish too, Nunez passing the ball into the corner from just outside the box after neat work from Cody Gakpo down the left, and Liverpool would have been two up a minute later were it not for a superb save from Trafford to deny Mo Salah.

Gakpo blazed off target after a mistake from Vitinho as the visitors threatened to run riot, although Josh Brownhill wasn’t far away with a 25-yarder that whistled past Alisson Becker’s left-hand post.

Nunez - playing down the middle - was a constant menace, just failing to find Salah with a backheel after a Dara O’Shea error and then seeing his low cross evade Gakpo in the six-yard box.

Gakpo had a goal ruled out for a foul by Nunez which looked soft at best, while Salah smacked a volley against the crossbar and had another effort saved by Trafford, who also denied Wataru Endo as a second goal remained elusive for Klopp’s side.

After the break Klopp’s side continued to dominate, and had another goal ruled out when Salah was deemed to be obstructing Trafford’s vision as Harvey Elliott slotted home Ryan Gravenberch’s cross.

Burnley responded with a decent spell, albeit without troubling Alisson. 

Sander Berge dragged an effort wide and substitute Johann Berg Gudmundsson headed wastefully off target from Wilson Odobert’s cross, as the home fans belatedly began to sense a comeback.

Dominik Szoboszlai might have killed their hopes but the Hungarian was unable to convert Curtis Jones’ header at the far post, while Trent Alexander-Arnold fizzed a 25-yard left-footed volley inches wide.

Jacob Bruun Larsen was off target having been presented with the ball by Endo with four minutes remaining, while the impressive Trafford denied Luis Diaz as Liverpool somehow failed to kill the game off.

They finally did so in the final minute of the 90 with Jota, making his first appearance in more than a month, fired through Trafford’s legs from a tight angle after Diaz’s excellent backheel.

Burnley (4-2-3-1): J Trafford 7, Vitinho 5, D O’Shea 5, J Beyer 6, C Taylor 6, S Berge 5, J Brownhill 5, W Odobert 5, Z Amdouni 7 (J Bruun Larsen 85), M Tresor 6 (J Gudmundsson 61), L Foster 5 Subs (not used): A Muric, J Rodriguez, C Roberts, A Ramsey, J Cullen, H Delcroix Booked: Berge Goals:

Liverpool (4-3-3): Alisson 6, T Alexander-Arnold 6, J Quansah 7, V van Dijk 7, J Gomez 7, W Endo 6, H Elliott 7 (D Szoboszlai 67), R Gravenberch 6 (C Jones 67), M Salah 6, C Gakpo 7 (L Diaz 67), D Nunez 8 (D Jota 84).

Subs (not used): C Kelleher, I Konate, L Chambers, J McConnell, C Bradley.

Goals: Nunez (6), Jota (90). 

Referee: P Tierney 5.