Liverpool Win "Ugly" Against Burnley

Sports - Football - Premier League - LFC 2:1 BFC

Liverpool came back from behind to record their third consecutive home win in the league beating Burnley 2-1 at Anfield.

Click here for my full ByTheMin coverage of the game.

The home side didn't create a single chance in the opening half an hour and it looked like yet another shocking defeat when Sean Dyche's men took the lead early on at Anfield thanks to Ashley Barnes, who had a smashing game, in more than one way.

The 27-year-old forward was always on the opponents' case, playing the good old physical game, pushing, pressing, creating, producing and could have scored more.

He gave the Clarets the lead just seven minutes in, connecting to the brilliant pass in from Matthew Lowton and netting it with his right foot sliding in.

It looked like the visitors were bossing it and could have taken a nice dominant and deserved lead into the break.

But Georginio Wijnaldum levelled the score in added time just before the interval, putting Divock Origi's cross from the left past Ben Mee who was on his knees from close range.

The second half grew more and more frustrating for the Reds, Anfield growing more and more tense.

But Emre Can denied the Clarets the league double over the Reds, making it 2-1 just past the hour-mark with a low right-footed shot off the post into the corner of the net, the Merseysiders recording their first "ugly" win as manager Jürgen Klopp put it.

The goal came out of nowhere, shortly after the German boss had made his first substitution, bringing on Academy youngster Ben Woodburn for Philippe Coutinho. Klopp was obviously not happy.

The more relieved the Kop could be about recording three points, especially after all the media focus on their lack of form against the lower sides.

It's Liverpool's 16th Premier League win of the season, equalling their tally of wins for the whole 2015-16 season.

The pressure stays on the Reds to remain in the top four with the teams around them having games in hand and their next match is the Super Sunday clash against Manchester City at the Etihad.

Liverpool Goals: Wijnaldum 45'+1, Can 61'.

Burnley Goal: Barnes 7'.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet; 7 Milner (c), 17 Klavan, 32 Matip, 2 Clyne; 20 Lallana (booked 87'), 23 Can (booked 63'), 5 Wijnaldum; 10 Coutinho (58 Woodburn 60'), 27 Origi (21 Lucas 79'), 19 Mané. 4-3-3
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 12 Gomez, 18 Moreno, 59 Wilson, 66 Alex-Arnold.

Burnley Team: 1 Heaton (c); 23 Ward, 6 Mee (booked 37'), 5 Keane, 2 Lowton; 37 Arfield (32 Agya 90'), 13 Hendrick, 19 Barton, 21 Boyd (12 Brady 73'); 7 Gray (9 Vokes 80'), 10 Barnes. 4-4-2
Subs not used: 17 Robinson, 18 Westwood, 26 Tarkowski, 27 Darikwa.

HT & FT Stats: Liverpool-Burnley
Score: 1-1 & 2-1
Possession: 70%-30% & 65%-35%
Shots: 5-4 & 10-11
On target: 1-1 & 3-1
Corners: 7-1 & 11-1
Fouls: 4-9 & 12-16
Bookings: 0-1 & 2-2

Referee: Craig Pawson
Man of the match: Ashley Barnes
Ground: Anfield
Attendance: 53,145

Click here for my last LFC match.

Pictures and stats taken from the BBC match report and Sky Sports coverage.

Week 32: Premier League Tops & Flops

Sports - Football - Premier League - Picks of the Weekend

WOW!

Aston Villa's performance and Matthew Lowton's stunning winner against Stoke earned them their third win in four games, lifting them two points clear of the relegation zone. Paul Lambert's men showed some backbone in this storming encounter, leaving the home side reeling. Tony Pulis' side did have a couple of penalty shouts denied, however, the last two goals showed the Clarets had and have the stamina and composure in them to score and win matches when it matters most, crucial in the relegation battle late on this season.

OMG!

Chelsea's and Sunderland's goals were all a bit of a(n) (un-)lucky collection of own goals, deflections and mishaps whilst West Brom's misses formed Arsenal's lucky escape at the Hawthorns. The Baggies kept the pressure up and especially after Per Mertesacker's stupid sending off had loads of chances to sink the Gunners in the last 19 minutes. But man-of-the-match Tomas Rosicky's double, his first goal since February 2012 and his first double for Arsene Wenger's side, proved to be enough to seal the deal and win. Arsenal hung on to the three points which took them above Chelsea into fourth place in the Premier League. 

TOP! & FLOP!

Southampton's form is going from strength to strength after recording their third win on the trot against Reading, impressing with the super-combo of Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez and moving them up into eleventh place, six points clear of the drop zone! Former Saints boss Nigel Adkins failed to impress or put much pressure against his former employers, the Royals faiding away, slumping to their seventh defeat in a row and remaining stuck at the bottom of the table, eight points from safety. Is it a lost cause for Adkins? They looked it! They are the only team to have recorded zero points in their last six games, followed by Stoke with one and Sunderland with two points. Meanwhile at the top of the table, Manchester City won the local derby battle, but can they grab the war back from United this late on in the season?

HERO!

Lowton's screamer for Villa as mentioned above and Papiss Cisse's dramatic stoppage time winner for Newcastle both deserved the vote this week. Without them their sides would be down in the relegation dumps for sure! Sergio Agueroooo won the derby for City with a smacker against United! The feisty encounter saw pleanty of tackles and yellows showing there was definitely still a fight on. But is it just a consolation or the start of an impossible comeback for City again? Only time will tell...

ZERO!

Arsenal's Mertesacker was rightly sent off for a stupid tackle against West Brom's Shane Long! Norwich's Grant Holt should have seen red for his evil challenge showing his studs against Swan Chico Flores and stamping on his shin! QPR's Bobby Zamora was sent walking for his high tackle on Wigan's Jordi Gomez making an already difficult job nigh on impossible for Rangers. Loic Remy should have been a hero for Harry Redknapp's side with his 85th minute stunner of a goal but instead saw his goal cancelled out by Shaun Maloney, four minutes into injury time, Adel Taarabt missing an easy block, ducking away and thereby failing miserably in doing his job in the wall! Tough luck for Redknapp and his Rangers, who remain 19th, seven points from safety.

My Predictions => Actual Results:
Reading 2-2 Southampton => 0-2
Nowich 0-0 Swansea => 2-2
Stoke 1-1 Aston Villa => 1-3
West Brom 0-1 Arsenal => 1-2
Liverpool 3-1 West Ham => 0-0
Tottenham 2-1 Everton => 2-2
Chelsea 4-0 Sunderland => 2-1
Newcastle 1-2 Fulham => 1-0
QPR 3-1 Wigan => 1-1
Man United 2-1 Man City => 1-2