Barnes stays cool to deal Reds further title blow
Champions’ proud unbeaten run at Anfield ends as Burnley triumph
LIVERPOOL’S seven-hour goal drought eventually caught up with them as Burnley pulled off a shock 1-0 victory at Anfield which ended an unbeaten home Premier League record of almost four years.
Ashley Barnes’ 83rd-minute penalty — his 100th senior career club goal — inflicted the first league loss on home soil for Jurgen Klopp’s side since Crystal Palace in April 2017, after a run of 68 matches undefeated.
Barnes said: “What a shift from the lads, a great team performance and luckily we’ve come away with three points. We believe in every game, that was no different today, we knew it was going to be tough but we were resilient, we stayed to our shape and it paid off.
“We knew if we kept believing we would get something. We were growing into the game. We managed to stick to our jobs, slow everything, and it worked.”
The defending champions were again made to pay for their lack of a cutting edge — having left the out-of-form Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino on the bench for an hour — and it is now seven hours and 18 minutes since they last found the net in the Premier League.
It was a famous victory for Burnley, whose last win on this ground came in September 1974 courtesy of Ian Brennan’s goal.
Last season they were the only side to take a point off Liverpool at home as they raced to the title, and they finished this game with the same amount of possession — 29% — but went one better.
Klopp’s side, who had 27 attempts but only six on target, are now six points behind leaders Manchester United.
With captain Jordan Henderson out with a groin problem and Salah and Firmino rested, the onus was put on replacements Divock Origi, with one league goal since December 2019, and Alex Oxlade-chamberlain.
Neither lived up to the billing and did not last the hour, although not before Origi missed the chance of the night just before half-time.
An uncharacteristic mis-kick from Clarets captain Ben Mee put Origi clean through, but his lack of game time and confidence showed as he blasted a shot past Nick Pope but against the crossbar.
Pope arrived at Anfield with five clean sheets in his last 10 league games, which did not bode well for Klopp’s goal-shy side, but he was not properly tested in the opening 45 minutes.
Sadio Mane had an early header blocked by Dwight Mcneil, but there followed a succession of shots from Xherdan Shaqiri, Oxlade-chamberlain, Origi and Andy Robertson which the England international dealt with.
Frustrations boiled over at the half-time whistle as Barnes reacted angrily to Fabinho appearing to flick out at him, provoking a small melee, but referee Mike Dean showed the Brazilian a yellow card and VAR agreed.
Meanwhile, Klopp and Sean Dyche had their own heated exchange in the tunnel.
Burnley’s one real opportunity came when Alisson dropped a cross under pressure from Chris Wood, but he reacted well to block Barnes’ shot.
Just over 10 minutes into the second half and with the game
drifting, Klopp sent on Salah and Firmino.
Burnley substitute Johann
Berg Gudmundsson blazed wide, but it was not as bad as Firmino’s effort soon after.
Having spent most of the preceding 83 minutes on the back foot, Burnley were presented with a chance and seized it.
Alisson brought down Barnes and the Clarets forward stepped up to score. There was no lucky escape for the hosts as Firmino’s shot was deflected wide.
LIVERPOOL: Alisson, Alexander-arnold, Fabinho, Matip, Robertson, Thiago, Shaqiri (Minamino 84), Wijnaldum, Oxlade-chamberlain (Firmino 57), Mane, Origi (Salah 57).
Milner, Jones, Tsimikas, Phillips, Kelleher, N Williams.
Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor (Pieters 49), Mcneil, Westwood, Brownhill, Brady (Gudmundsson 65), Wood, Barnes.
Cork, Peacock-farrell, Stephens, Rodriguez, Bardsley, Vydra, Long.
Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the match: Ben Mee
Match rating: 7/10