Premier League
Result: Liverpool 0-1 Burnley
Date: 21 January 2021
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool have suffered their first Premier League defeat at Anfield since 2017 after losing 1-0 to Burnley on Thursday evening.
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp raised eyebrows by dropping Mohamed Salah and Robert Firmino to the bench, as Divock Origi and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain got rare starts while defender Joel Matip returned to bolster the side.
Burnley were dropping deep into their own half from the first whistle but they had a good chance to go ahead in the 12th minute from a counter-attack after shot-stopper Alisson was caught way out of his area and Ashley Barnes had a shot at goal that was blocked by Fabinho, with the net gaping.
Xherdan Shaqiri came the closest to opening the scoring for Liverpool in the 20th minute with a cracking strike from outside the box that missed the top corner by a whisker.
Origi should have given Klopp's men the lead just before the break after a horrible back pass by Ben Mee sent him clear on goal, one-on-one with goalkeeper Nick Pope but he curled his strike into the crossbar and the first stanza ended without goals.
Liverpool were putting the Sean Dyche's men under pressure coming from the break but the visitors were keeping them at bay and Klopp finally brought on Salah and Firmino just before the hour-mark, with Origi and Oxlade-Chamberlain both making way.
Salah nearly broke the deadlock for the Reds within three minutes since he came on as Georginio Wijnaldum made a slaloming run towards the box and played him through on the far side but the Egyptian's first-time shot was saved by Pope at his near post.
Burnley were awarded a penalty in the last seven minutes after Alisson caught the trailing foot of Barnes, who stepped up and sent a powerful effort into the bottom corner for the lead.
Firmino came close to getting the equaliser for Liverpool in the last minute with a back-heel inside the box, but his effort was cleared off the line as the visitors held on to a famous win, handing the Reds their first home loss in the league since their 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace in 2017.
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