Burnley 0-3 Liverpool: Reds go back top with record-breaking win

Liverpool have won 13 league game in a row for the first time

Adam Bate

Comment and Analysis @ghostgoal

Sunday 1 September 2019 01:11, UK

Liverpool moved back to the top of the Premier League table with a dominant 3-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor – a club-record 13th consecutive league victory.

Chris Wood was unfortunate to deflect Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross beyond his own goalkeeper in the 33rd minute and Sadio Mane doubled the lead soon after.

Roberto Firmino sealed the points late on to maintain Liverpool's perfect start as they broke their record of 12 consecutive league victories set under Kenny Dalglish in 1990.

How the game unfolded

Burnley had looked lively early on and had the first opportunity of the game when Wood forced a smart low save from Adrian after running in behind Virgil van Dijk.

But Liverpool's threat was soon apparent with Mohamed Salah twice going close to making the breakthrough.

He hit the inside of the post with an ambitious shot on the angle and then saw Nick Pope's attempt to smother the ball at his feet ricochet back off him and go just wide of the post.

Pope did well on that occasion but was outfoxed later in the half for the opening goal as Alexander-Arnold's cross caught Wood on the back and looped over his head.

That seemed to fluster Burnley because Ben Mee promptly gave the ball away, allowing Firmino to play in Mane who calmly slotted home for his 16th Premier League goal of 2019.

Burnley huffed and puffed in the second half but struggled for fluency and when Salah set up Firmino to drive home in the 80th minute, any lingering hope of a comeback was over.

The win lifts Liverpool back to where they had started the day - top of the table having been briefly displaced by Manchester City who comfortably beat Brighton. The rivalry continues.

What the managers said

Sean Dyche: "I was pretty pleased with the performance overall. I don't think it ends up a 3-0 game on the actual game. The first one is unlucky and the second one we know is a mistake.

"To be honest, I don't think there was a lot in it. We defended well and we opened them up a few times. We huffed and puffed and had a few moments.

"But they were clinical today. Very good on transition which we know they are. We gave the ball away in so many dangerous positions and you can't do it against these because they will pounce.

"They wait for their moments and when they get their moments they hurt you. That was the biggest difference in the game, on transition."

Jurgen Klopp: "The first goal was a bit of a lucky goal but I still think we deserved that we were 1-0 up. The second goal was brilliant, really brilliant.

"I am not proud [of the record number of consecutive wins] in this moment but I am happy it's a record, it's really nice.

"We don't go for these records. This team wants to write their own stories and their own history. They are doing and doing and doing.

"The one thing is the number. The other is, in the thirteenth game of that series, showing the attitude that the boys showed under pressure.

"We have to show respect to our opponents and the boys do that every time."

Man of the Match - Roberto Firmino

Firmino has started the season in brilliant form and he deserved his goal at the end. By that point, he had already set up Mane for the goal that doubled the lead and he was the man who played the pass through to Salah in the build-up to his own third goal. With that strike, Firmino became the first Brazilian player to score 50 Premier League goals.

Liverpool hungrier than ever?

Nine wins to finish last season in such relentless form was one thing. Liverpool were in the thick of a title race and on the way to European glory too. But being the only team to win their first four Premier League games of the current campaign too? It has been an emphatic message to City and the rest. No sign of deflation. Only an added incentive to succeed.

Read the full feature here

Opta stats

Liverpool are only the second English top-flight side to win 13 in a row while scoring more than once each time (after Tottenham in 1960).
Liverpool have also gone 21 Premier League games without losing and have lost just once in their last 43 games in the competition.
Liverpool have won three consecutive away games at Burnley for the first time in all competitions since August 1970 under Bill Shankly.
Jurgen Klopp has won five Premier League games versus Sean Dyche. Against no manager has he registered more victories in the competition.
Since the start of the 2016-17 season, Burnley have scored eight own goals in the Premier League; only Bournemouth have scored more.
Liverpool haven't lost any of the last 33 Premier League games in which Sadio Mane has found the net.
Since the start of last season, no Liverpool player has scored more goals in all competitions than Mane (30 - level with Mohamed Salah).