Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane netted two apiece as Liverpool beat Burnley 4-2 at Anfield this afternoon to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City.
The Clarets took a surprise sixth-minute lead in bizarre circumstances as Ashley Westwood scored direct from a corner from which Alisson Becker was clearly impeded.
An error from Tom Heaton allowed Firmino to equalise on 19 minutes and Mane completed the turnaround before the half-hour mark with a sweeping finish from inside the box.
Firmino gave Liverpool breathing space on 68 minutes before a stoppage-time reply from Johan Berg Gudmundsson salvaged Burnley late hope, which was soon extinguished by a 16th goal of the season from Mane as victory was assured.
Relive the action on Merseyside courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
Having once been 10 points clear of Manchester City, Liverpool find themselves four adrift heading into this lunchtime clash with Burnley. The title race is reaching do-or-die time and anything but victory at Anfield would be a huge setback for Jurgen Klopp's men. However, the stakes are high for the Clarets too as the relagation zone threatens to pull them under...
LIVERPOOL: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Lallana; Mane, Firmino, Salah
Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Henderson, Keita, Shaqiri, Sturridge, Origi
Subs: Mignolet, Lovren, Henderson, Keita, Shaqiri, Sturridge, Origi
BURNLEY: Heaton; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Hendrick, Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Barnes, Wood
Subs: Hart, Gibson, Lowton, Brady, Gudmundsson, Crouch, Vydra
Subs: Hart, Gibson, Lowton, Brady, Gudmundsson, Crouch, Vydra
We are underway at Anfield where Liverpool have made two changes from the Merseyside derby draw with Everton - Roberto Firmino recalled after injury and Adam Lallana recalled for just his fourth league start of the season to inject some of the midfield creativity that the Reds have been missing.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche names an unchanged starting XI for a ninth league game in a row.
The sun is out on Merseyside this lunchtime but there is also a strong wind which could cause some problems for defenders, especially those in Red with Burnley not shy of going direct to their front two of Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood. Barnes has scored in each of his last four away league games.
Set pieces are likely to be Burnley's best route to goal today and they nearly catch Liverpool out with a well thought out free kick. The box is loaded but instead Cork knocks a ball down the right channel for Jeff Hendrick whose run was not followed. Alisson comes off his line to sweep up the danger.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 0-1 BURNLEY (ASHLEY WESTWOOD)
GOAL! Burnley have put the cat amongst the pidgeons here with an early goal and in bizarre fashion too, with Ashley Westwood scoring direct from a corner! The wind indeed plays a factor to help the ball swing back inside the far post, and a couple of Burnley players also play a role in blocking off Alisson as the ball floats over the Brazilian and into the side-netting. Westwood's first ever goal for Burnley - and one he will never forget!
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YELLOW CARD! In the aftermath of the goal, Alisson was booked for dissent, furious that James Tarkowski wasn't penalised for impeding him. The Burnley defender was climbing on the Liverpool goalkeeper.
That early goal will suit Burnley down to the ground as they can now retreat into their shape and protect this lead. Liverpool's full-backs, who combined for all five assists in the recent 5-0 win over Watford will be key attackers once again for the Reds if they are to get in behind this stubborn defence.
Liverpool have failed to score in three of their last four Premier League games, with a couple of their main goalscorers suffering from a dip in form at the same time - Mohamed Salah, goalless in five and Firmino, who has one in nine. Klopp really needs one of them to come to the party this afternoon.
CLOSE! Firmino's strike from just inside the box is blocked by Tarkowski and loops over the crossbar. Salah had released the Brazilian forward into the inside left channel with Burnley caught short in defence.
There is a brief stoppage in play as Phil Bardsley is tended to following an accidental elbow to the face by Sadio Mane.
Alexander-Arnold knocks a cross into the box which Mane meets with a header that lacked any sort of direction.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 1-1 BURNLEY (ROBERTO FIRMINO)
Burnley gift Liverpool the softest of equalisers! Salah plays a neat one-two with Wijnaldum down the right and then sends in a low cross which should be dealt with easily, but Heaton and Tarkowski make a complete mess of it and Firmino is left with a one-yard tap-in, exactly what he'd have been after to end his barren run.
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Alexander-Arnold thinks about crossing but instead lines up a 25-yard shot which is blocked and then cleared by Ben Mee, who has played every Premier League minute for the Clarets this season.
While they start this game four points behind Manchester City, Liverpool could be top of the table by the time the champions next play, as Pep Guardiola's side are in FA Cup action next weekend while Liverpool travel to struggling Fulham in the league. Two wins and the Reds will be at the summit again.
Alexander-Arnold has another go from distance following a short corner, but the shot from the left edge of the box was always swerving wide of the target.
The sun that was shining on the Anfield surface at kickoff has disappeared and been replaced by sleet. It is one of those strange spring days when the weather is as unpredictable as the football!
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 2-1 BURNLEY (SADIO MANE)
Liverpool have turned it around and again Burnley contribute to their own downfall. There is hesitation at the back and Lallana does brilliantly to charge down Bardsley's clearance, which would have fallen to Salah if not for a perfectly-timed challenge from Charlie Taylor. The full-back is a little unfortunate that the ball falls to an unmarked Mane who curls it around Heaton with aplomb from 12 yards out.
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These are dangerous times for Burnley with Liverpool now flying forward with serious intent. Salah has had a couple of half-chances but does look his sharpest, dragging one shot wide of the near post.
Dwight McNeil whips a ball in and Van Dijk is forced to clear for a corner with Wood lurking behind him. Westwood swings in another deep corner but this time Alisson punches away with no issues.
Hendrick gets off a 20-yard shot which may have worked Alisson but was diverted wide by a deflection off his own teammate Wood.
Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita have been going through extensive warm ups on the touchline. There is no obvious Liverpool injury but Klopp is deep in discussions with his medical staff.
The wind continues to cause havoc as Barnes runs into Van Dijk while challenging for a swirling aerial ball. The bullish Burnley striker took a nasty blow to the face and is with the physio now.
Joel Matip has been shaky all half for Liverpool. It was his poor headed clearance which conceded the corner from which he scored and he has given the ball away a few more times since.
Joel Matip has been shaky all half for Liverpool. It was his poor headed clearance which conceded the corner from which he scored and he has given the ball away a few more times since.
Robertson has not be as involved offensively as Alexander-Arnold thus far but the Liverpool left-back here whips in a vicious cross which Burnley just about manage to defend.
Wood and Barnes have 10 goals apiece for Burnley this season but the Clarets have not provided the forward pair with any sort of service in this first half. Something for Dyche to ponder at the break...
McNeil has been an excellent addition to this Burnley lineup in recent weeks. He gives them something different, a player who is happy to carry the ball forward through midfield and the youngster is unfortunate here not to get a free kick for a trip by Alexander-Arnold.
HALF TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 BURNLEY
Things didn't go to plan from the start for Liverpool but they have recovered from conceding an early goal to take a lead into the interval against Burnley, with Firmino back on the scoresheet and Mane continuing his fine form. They will hope to kill this game off quickly in the second period.
Sean Dyche will be really disappointed with the manner of the goals his side have conceded. The Liverpool equaliser is a mistake from Tom Heaton, who has been flawless recently in fairness, and the second goal emanated from a Phil Bardsley clearance that was closed down by Adam Lallana.
Lallana has been impressive on his return to the starting lineup. Xherdan Shaqiri may be sitting on the bench wondering what he has done wrong to be overlooked in that creative midfielder role, but Lallana has covered the most ground of any Liverpool player, and played a role in both goals.
The Clarets did not pose any threat from open play in that first half - managing one shot compared to Liverpool's nine.
AS IT STANDS: A reminder that victory today would take Liverpool back to within a point of Manchester City at the top of the table. A third straight defeat would leave Burnley only two points above safety.
BENCH WATCH: Klopp was readying Henderson and Keita during that first half, seemingly amid concerns over Fabinho so we shall see if the Brazilian emerges for the second period. January signing Peter Crouch would love to get a call up for Burnley on his old Anfield stomping ground.
KICKOFF: We are back underway at Anfield, where a third Liverpool goal before the hour would be welcomed by the home fans. Burnley will want to take this game as deep as possible and hope to pinch something late on.
Burnley have had most of the territory since the restart without looking threatening. They need to get more crosses into the box as Wood and Barnes will fancy their chances against any set of defenders - even when half of said set is Virgil van Dijk.
Van Dijk is nearly caught out by a through-ball for Wood but reaches to get his toe to the ball. The Dutchman then shows his strength to knock Barnes aside from a pass from his strike partner.
Salah tries to bend a 22-yard curler into the top corner but cannot keep his effort down.
CHANCE! Mane releases Firmino who had made a lung-bursting run to his right. The Brazilian seems to get caught in two minds - whether to shoot or square for Salah and in the end does neither as the ball rolls wide of the post.
A trademark mazy dribble from Salah inside the box is thwarted by Taylor's block at the byline. Salah may have made the angle too tight for a shot but that is the best we have seen of him so far.
After a flurry from Burnley at the start of the second period, Liverpool have quickly wrestled back control of the game. Salah is starting to look lively and I wouldn't back against him making it a goal apiece for the front three before long.
McNeil skips past Alexander-Arnold with ease, leaving the full-back on the floor as he takes the ball forward and puts in a decent cross which is initially dealt with by Liverpool, although a poor clearance from Robertson could have been costly had Westwood been able to bring it under control.
Salah and Mane exchange a series of passes but Tarkowski wisely blocks off the run of Mane as he enters the box.
Klopp may be starting to get concerned about this vulnerable one-goal cushion. While Burnley aren't threatening much, Tottenham learned yesterday how quickly things can change as they lost two late goals to Southampton.
McNeil this time beats Alexander-Arnold on his inside with a cute feint but Van Dijk comes across to stop the youngster in his tracks. McNeil has been by far Burnley's best player this afternoon.
CHANCE! Really good opportunity for the hosts but Wijnaldum takes Robertson's cross off the head of Mane.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-1 BURNLEY (ROBERTO FIRMINO)
Breathing space for Liverpool now as Firmino doubles their lead and his own tally for the day. Heaton's poor clearance falls straight to Salah who is in on goal and would surely have scored if not for a great tackle from Taylor, who is unfortunate that the loose ball falls to Firmino to slot into the empty net.
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SUBSTITUTION: Henderson is on for Liverpool in place of Wijnaldum, perhaps a change with Bayern Munich on Wednesday in mind.
YELLOW CARD! Fabinho takes one for the team by bringing down Barnes who was running at the Liverpool defence, earning himself a blatant yellow card.
Firmino could not buy a goal before today and has been handed two on a plate. Can the Brazilian complete his hat-trick before full time?
SHOT! Mane works room for a shot on the edge of the box which goes behind for a corner via a deflection off Cork. The Senegalese midfielder wants a penalty for handball but referee Martin Atkinson is not interested.
SUBSTITUTION: Second change from Klopp who brings on Naby Keita in place of Lallana, who receives a really warm ovation from the Anfield crowd as he trots off. He's had a good game.
SUBSTITUTIONS: And Peter Crouch receives an equally warm welcome as he comes on for Burnley as part of a double change. Johan Berg Gudmunsson is also on with Wood and Hendrick off.
CLOSE! Mane will be wondering how he hasn't joined Firmino in the double club! Alexander-Arnold whips a low cross through the six-yard box and the winger stretches out a toe which knocks the ball into the ground, onto the crossbar and over. Too much pace on the cross from Trent if anything!
Superb block from Bardsley to deny Robertson who had been teed up in the box by Mane. Burnley's full-backs have made some crucial interventions, and Charlie Taylor is unfortunate that two of his perfect tackles were followed by Liverpool goals seconds later!
SUBSTITUTIONS: Each manager makes their final change, with Matej Vydra replacing Ashley Barnes for Burnley, and Daniel Sturridge getting a short cameo for Liverpool. Alexander-Arnold has come off which means Henderson will finish the match at right-back.
SAVE! Salah tries to bend a Mane cutback beyond Heaton but the Burnley goalkeeper pushes it away at a nice height.
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 3-2 BURNLEY (JOHAN BERG GUDMUNSSON)
Late hope for Burnley who work their second goal really nicely as Vydra feeds Gudmundsson to sweep past Alisson at his near post. They couldn't, could they? It has been a weekend of comebacks in the Premier League!
GOAL! LIVERPOOL 4-2 BURNLEY (SADIO MANE)
Liverpool finally kill off the Clarets with a fourth as Sturridge picks out Mane with a great switch of play. The goalscorer stays on his feet under the challenge of Heaton to round the Burnley goalkeeper and slot home. Salah was looking for a cross in the middle but was never going to get it!
FULL TIME: LIVERPOOL 4-2 BURNLEY
They had scares at either end of the game, but Liverpool eventually got the better of Burnley today to keep up with Manchester City's title pace. Two goals apiece from Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino earn the Reds a victory which takes them within one of the leaders. Burnley stay deep in relegation trouble.
That's it from our coverage from Anfield. Thanks for joining me for this one. Until next time, goodbye!
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
