Pope star will be a No.1 hit for Lions
JURGEN KLOPP and Sean Dyche both paid tribute to Burnley’s England keeper Nick Pope, as Liverpool’s incredible Anfield winning streak came to an end.
Pope showed why he is being touted to become the Three Lions’ undisputed No.1 with a string of stunning saves to halt the champions.
Liverpool were looking to win their 25th consecutive home game and stay on course to become the first team since Sunderland 121 years ago to complete a top-flight season with a
100 per cent record on their own soil,
And they took a first-half lead through Andy Robertson.
But Pope kept Burnley in the game before Jay Rodriguez rifled home a
70th-minute equaliser. Klopp said: “I feel like we have lost the game – we didn’t, I know that. It was a draw but I cannot deny it feels like we completely lost the game.
“It was Liverpool versus Nick Pope. It was a good performance for most parts of the game by us and we created some super chances.
“But Nick Pope wanted to deny us and when we couldn’t score a second that left the door open.
“It was one of our best performances against Burnley because it is so hard to create chances against a team who are as organised as they are.”
Burnley had lost all of their last 12 visits to Anfield stretching back to
1974 and Dyche said: “I thought Liverpool were terrific in the first half, to the point where we could do nothing but defend.
“But our keeper has produced some big saves at big moments.
“Popey was excellent – even if his kicking made me think he had his boots on the wrong feet. He can be unorthodox but makes saves others don’t.
“He has played well all season to be fair and today he has produced some big saves.”
WHEN it comes to making history, Sean Dyche doesn’t quite move in the same circles as Jurgen Klopp.
But after becoming the first Burnley manager to escape unbeaten from Anfield since the late Jimmy Adamson 46 years ago, it only adds to the confusion as to why the hierarchy at Turf Moor seem intent on driving him out.
Dyche has fallen out with chairman Mike Garlick over the club’s failure to extend a raft of contracts to help him cope with the demands of Project Restart.
Whether their fractured relationship can be repaired remains to be seen.
But Jay Rodriguez’s strike to cancel out Andy Robertson’s first-half opener for the champions has certainly added more power to Dyche’s elbow.
Burnley could have even won it in the end – but Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s 87th-minute shot struck the crossbar – although that would have been cruel on the champions.
Liverpool should have racked up their 25th consecutive home win at a canter.
They should still be on course to become the first top-flight club since Sunderland 121 years ago to complete a perfect season on their own soil.
That those achievements are now beyond Klopp’s side is down to the sheer bloody-minded spirit that Dyche has fostered in his squad.
Burnley were missing Jack Cork, Ashley Barnes, Matt Lowton and skipper Ben Mee through injury and Erik Pieters – a left-back – played on the righthand side of midfield.
Back in March 1974, it was a goal by defender Ian Brennan that secured a win over Bill Shankly’s side.
This time it was keeper Nick Pope who was the hero as Dyche saw the Clarets end a run of 12 successive defeats on Liverpool’s ground.
The Kop is famous for paying tribute to opposition keepers – and it was a shame that lockdown denied Pope a standing ovation for a performance that will enhance his chances of becoming England’s undisputed No.1.
The Clarets stopper started and finished the first half by producing saves that seemed to defy the laws of gravity, thwarting Mo Salah and Sadio Mane with incredible fingertip stops.
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