Match reportLiverpool held to 1-1 draw by Burnley at Anfield
Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Burnley at Anfield on Saturday.
Florian Wirtz’s goal in the closing stages of a first half during which Dominik Szoboszlai had earlier missed a penalty put the Reds into a thoroughly deserved lead at the interval.
But several opportunities to double the advantage came and went, and an equaliser midway through the second half by Marcus Edwards would earn the visitors a point, despite a late surge of pressure from the hosts.
Team
Arne Slot made six changes from Monday’s Emirates FA Cup win over Barnsley.
Alisson Becker, Hugo Ekitike, Ryan Gravenberch, Milos Kerkez, Ibrahima Konate and Wirtz returned to the starting XI.
Liverpool: Alisson, Van Dijk, Konate, Kerkez (Robertson, 78), Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Jones (Chiesa, 87), Gakpo (Ngumoha, 78), Ekitike, Frimpong, Gravenberch (Mac Allister, 78).
Unused subs: Mamardashvili, Gomez, Endo, Nyoni, Ramsay.
First half
A dominant half that ended with Liverpool having recorded 15 shots on goal began with Kerkez creating a chance with a superb piece of play.
The left-back accelerated away from Edwards, played a one-two with Szoboszlai and then unselfishly sought out Curtis Jones at the back post, only for a defender to clear the danger.
The pattern – Liverpool probing to find a route through Burnley’s low block – was set from the first minute and Ekitike, Gravenberch and Jeremie Frimpong had attempts before, on the half-hour, it seemed the Reds would make good on their promise to score.
Cody Gakpo was fouled in the area as he tried to cut inside and the referee pointed to the spot, but Szoboszlai crashed his penalty kick off the crossbar.
Clarets goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was a busy man and he saved from Gakpo and Wirtz until, finally, the breakthrough arrived as half-time approached.
Ekitike showcased his full armoury of skills by first bringing Virgil van Dijk’s long pass under his spell and then tenaciously driving his way goalwards on the byline.
His shot from a tight angle was stopped, but Jones was there to collect and tee up Wirtz, who drilled high into the net for his fourth goal in his last six appearances.
Second half
The second half began as the first had ended, with Liverpool on the attack and their No.7 to the fore.
Wirtz nearly got his second goal of the afternoon when he linked up with Szoboszlai, only for Dubravka to smother at his feet.
The Germany playmaker then drifted his way into space in the area before squaring to Gakpo, who beat Dubravka, only to be thwarted by Maxime Esteve’s goalline clearance.
Though with an hour gone, the balance of play briefly evened up and Alisson was alert to save when Konate, in blocking Edwards’ cross, inadvertently slid the ball towards his own goal.
But a couple of minutes later, Edwards took matters into his own hands and, after being sent through the inside-left channel, fired the equaliser low and hard into the far bottom corner.
Liverpool quickly looked to restore their lead and Ekitike thought he had done just that in minute 77, but his close-range finish was disallowed for offside.
A triple substitution by Slot saw Alexis Mac Allister, Rio Ngumoha and Andy Robertson introduced, and the former’s first involvement was to clear the bar with a presentable chance.
Federico Chiesa was next to be brought on but the late wave of pressure on Dubravka’s goal amounted to nothing and the points were shared.
Attendance: 60,431