Diogo Jota marked his return from a hamstring injury by coming off the bench to score a nerve-settling second in the 90th minute, as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool went top of the Premier League and kept their third clean sheet of December at the expense of Vincent Kompany’s struggling Clarets at Turf Moor.
Reds revel in Boxing Day victory
It wasn’t as straightforward as it seemed on paper, and Liverpool had a goal disallowed in each half – Cody Gakpo’s sweet strike and a clever Harvey Elliott finish – but that didn’t deter them from departing east Lancashire with three points, two goals and a clean sheet to savour on Boxing Day this year in their final game of 2023.
Shrewd summer signing and England U21 goalkeeper James Trafford produced eight saves to keep his teammates in with a faint chance at salvaging a point or more throughout, as Burnley were urged to be braver after half-time having relinquished possession and chances all too easily against a side who need no invitation.
Scandinavian pair Johann Gudmundsson and Jacob Bruun Larsen, both second-half substitutes, could’ve punished Liverpool’s poor finishing but their efforts were wide.
Having scored one and created another during their surprise 2-0 away win over Fulham on Dec. 23, teenage winger Wilson Odobert (one key pass, two tackles) was unsurprisingly among Burnley’s better performers on another day where the hosts were duly punished for gifting their opposition too much space in transition areas.
Darwin Nunez might not have scored a league goal since Oct. 29 at home against Nottingham Forest, but the unpredictable Uruguayan didn’t lack confidence in finding the far corner with aplomb after just six minutes with a rare long-distance finish, sidefooting home outside the area following Gakpo’s mazy run and pass.
Gakpo had a trio of chances to score himself before the half-hour mark, Mohamed Salah did too and hit the woodwork with his second effort, while Trafford was on hand to save from midfield duo Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo elsewhere.
Elliott’s goal, 11 minutes after the restart, would’ve killed off all hope for most of a 21,600-strong Turf Moor crowd before VAR intervened and deemed Salah to have been impeding Trafford’s line of sight before his international teammate struck.
Referee Paul Tierney agreed, chalked the goal off and suddenly Burnley had a second wind – both from their supporters and players themselves, believing the game was still there for the taking. Anything can happen with a slender one-goal margin.
Liverpool weathered the storm and waves of pressure though, something they’ve managed better for the most part this season, and Jota – on six minutes earlier – provided the killer blow from a tight angle after combining with fellow sub Luis Diaz.
What’s next?
Liverpool will hope to inflict more pain on Eddie Howe’s injury-stricken Newcastle side come Monday, after Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood haunted his former club with a hat-trick elsewhere during the Boxing Day fixtures.
Then they travel to London with Arsenal awaiting them in FA Cup action, before an EFL Cup semi-final first leg tie against Fulham three days later to kick off 2024.
Burnley by contrast, remain five points adrift of safety with Everton and Luton having played a game fewer too. An away trip to Aston Villa beckons before the new year, where they face Tottenham (FA Cup), Luton and Manchester City in January.
Wednesday
7.30pm KO: Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace, Brentford vs. Wolves
8.15pm: Everton vs. Manchester City
Thursday
19:30: Brighton vs Tottenham
20:15: Arsenal vs West Ham
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 