Liverpool v Burnley: Live matchday blog
Liverpool moved back to within a point of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a 4-2 win over Burnley at Anfield.
Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane each scored a brace for the Reds, who had to come from a goal down to claim the victory.
The manager's verdict
Jürgen Klopp addressed the media in his post-match press conference at Anfield - and you read what he had to say in our summary of the briefing by clicking here.
Klopp: “Adam was outstanding in training and it was clear that if he could play how he trained, it would help us today. That’s exactly what happened. Well done, it’s really well deserved all the praise he is getting.”
Jürgen Klopp in his post-match press conference: "It's always difficult against Burnley and today it was for a few different reasons. One is the early goal we conceded - it should have been disallowed but they scored.
"4-2, a brilliant result."
Match stats...
Full Time
Job done.
Liverpool re-close the gap to Manchester City to a single point with a lively 4-2 win over Burnley.
The Reds had to come from behind at Anfield after Ashley Westwood put the Clarets ahead direct from a corner in the sixth minute, but they did so with aplomb to lead 2-1 at half-time courtesy of goals by Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.
Firmino grabbed his second with 22 minutes left, before Johann Gudmundsson and Mane traded injury-time goals.
Stick with us for all the post-match reaction from Anfield.
Phew!
After Gudmundsson had set up a potentiall nervy ending, Mane settles matters with his second of the afternoon - the No.10 latching onto Sturridge's pass and rounding Heaton before rolling in.
Goal
MANE!!!
Goal
Gudmundsson pulls one back for Burnley.
Close!
Heaton makes a good diving save to deny Salah, who was set up by Mane.
Substitution
A third and final change for Liverpool - Sturridge is on for Alexander-Arnold.
Mane plays Robertson in down the left in the area, but his shot is blocked.
Off the bar!
Great football from Liverpool, with Firmino finding Alexander-Arnold down the right. His low cross is on the money, but a sliding Mane hits the bar rather than the back of the net.
So unlucky!
Substitution
A nice moment as former Red Peter Crouch comes on in place of Chris Wood and gets his name sung by the Kop.
Substitution
A second sub for the Reds - Keita is on for Lallana, who received a richly-deserved standing ovation after an excellent display.
Appeals for a penalty are waved away after Mane's drive strikes Taylor on the arm and goes behind.
Substitution
Jordan Henderson was coming on regardless of that goal, and the skipper is now on in place of Gini Wijnaldum.
Bobby again!
Heaton's miscued kick goes straight to Salah, who races in on goal.
The Egyptian is fouled by a desperate last-ditch lunge but, with the referee ready to award a penalty, Firmino is on hand to slot in the loose ball.
Goal
FIRMINO!!!
Burnley have come back into it a little in the last five minutes or so, but they aven't been able to work a clear sight of Alisson's goal.
Liverpool are exerting a sustained period of pressure here, with the ball being zipped about at pace.
A third goal would be nice, Reds...
A swift Reds breakaway concludes with Mane playing in Firmino down the inside-right channel.
Our No.9 unselfishly tries to find Salah with a cross, but it's overhit and goes out for a goal kick.
After a strong start to the second half by Burnley, the Reds enjoy a spell of possession that ends with Salah curling over the bar from just outside the box.
Kick-Off
The teams are back out, as is the sun, and Liverpool get the game restarted.
Take a look at the stats from that first half below...
Half Time
There goes the half-time whistle, and the Reds lead 2-1 at the break after an eventful first 45.
Westwood’s early goal direct from a corner put Burnley one up, but am emphatic response from Liverpool saw them surge ahead by the half-hour mark thanks to goals by Firmino and Mane.
Three minutes of added time will be played at the end of the first half.
Liverpool have been in control since Mane's goal, but without really troubling Heaton again.
Super Sadio
Mane has become the fifth Liverpool player to score in six consecutive home appearances in the Premier League, after Owen, Torres, Suarez and Salah.
Yes, Sadio!
Superb work by Lallana, who slides in to block Bardsley's attempted clearance. Salah is onto the loose ball as quick as a flash and seems to be fouled in the box - but appeals for a penalty are short-lived, as Mane curls his 15th Premier League goal of the season home.
Goal
MANE!!!
The Reds are well on top now and Alexander-Arnold blasts over from range as the rain starts to fall torrentially again.
Get in!
Salah plays a one-two with Wijnaldum in the area, speeds to the byline and feeds in a low cross that Heaton and Tarkowski fail to deal with - and Firmino is there to tap in from a couple of yards out.
Goal
FIRMINO!!!
Mane can't quite angle his header on target from Alexander-Arnold's cross from the right
The response to that early setback has been good from Liverpool and Firmino sees a shot deflect up and over the bar after he'd been fed by Salah.
Burnley get us under way.
The visitors are attacking the Kop end in this first half.
Alisson is crowded out - fouled? - as he attempts to deal with Westwood's corner, which ends up going straight in.
Liverpool's 'keeper is then booked for his protests.
Goal
Westwood scores for Burnley.
Lallana and Robertson link up well down the left and the former looks to find Salah at the back post with a drifting cross, but Heaton collects.
The sides are out on the pitch and, in stark contrast to the awful weather we had here this morning, Anfield is now sun-drenched as You'll Never Walk Alone rings out.
The teams have just been read out and the atmopshere is building nicely here.
Kick-off is just under 10 minutes away.
'Adam was exceptional in training'
Jürgen Klopp has revealed the reasoning behind Adam Lallana coming into Liverpool's starting line-up today.
The manager told BT Sport: “We had a complete training week and actually that’s how it is.
“If you have five sessions a week, everybody can show up and Adam was exceptional during the week. So, in a situation where you think a little bit how you can adjust one or two things, it’s smart.
“He trained well for a while already but this week was especially well – that’s the reason why he starts.”
Here come the Reds...
Behind closed doors...
The line-ups
Here's how Opta expect the sides to shape up...
TEAM NEWS
It’s two changes for Liverpool as Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana replace Divock Origi and Jordan Henderson.
Dejan Lovren returns on the bench.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Substitutes: Mignolet, Lovren, Henderson, Keita, Shaqiri, Origi, Sturridge.
'It doesn't change anything for us'
The situation at the top of the Premier League, with Liverpool having been overtaken by Manchester City, will have no influence on the way the Reds approach their remaining nine games this season, Andy Robertson has insisted.
“City last season, it was quite unique. They were well out in front and nobody could really catch them. But any title race, especially down here, it’s always at least between two teams and it goes right to the wire,” the left-back, who is in line to make his 50th PL appearance for Liverpool today, told BT Sport.
“We become the chasers now, of course we do, but it still doesn’t change anything for us. We look to win every game that we play in and as long as we do that then we’ll be right in the chase.”
What are the odds?
Here are the prices offered by BetVictor...
Liverpool - 1/6
Draw - 7/1
Burnley - 22/1
Click here for more details and match markets.
On this day...
10 years ago today, Anfield witnessed one of its finest European nights as Liverpool swept Real Madrid aside 4-0 in the Champions League last-16, second-leg tie.
With Fernando Torres on fire, the Reds took the lead through the Spanish striker. Goals either side of half-time from Steven Gerrard furthered the lead before Andrea Dossena wrapped up the scoring late on.
Meanwhile, on this day back in 2016, Liverpool beat Manchester United 2-0 in front of the Kop in the Europa League tie, with goals coming from Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino.
Welcome back, Peter
There'll be a very familar face among the Burnley squad today, with former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch now a Clarets player. The popular Englishman scored 42 goals in his 134 appearances for the Reds between 2005 and 2008.
Anfield is ready
All set and looking fantastic.
Weather
Another matchday blog, another official weather update™.
It's a grim day in L4, with rain falling consistently so far this morning, just as it did throughout Saturday. So wrap up appropriately if you're in attendance at Anfield later. Hat and gloves optional, as always.
Virgil van Dijk: Let's all bring our A-game
We caught up with the big man at Melwood this week to preview the meeting with Burnley and he called for maximum commitment on and off the pitch this afternoon.
"I would say to them bring your A-game as well, just like we have to bring our A-game," the No.4 said, when asked for a message to the supporters.
"We want to give everything we've got, especially in these last nine games. We're in a position not many clubs are in so we just need to enjoy it, all of us.
"Like everyone knows, the help of the fans, the atmosphere, helps us so much. They've been showing it throughout the whole season and hopefully we can show it on Sunday as well and help us get the three points."
Fans Supporting Foodbanks
If you're heading to Anfield today, donations will - as always - be gratefully received at the foodbank collection points at the Fan Zone on Anfield Road, the official club store, and Homebaked.
Missing Men
Have you tried our latest Missing Men quiz? This one takes you back to a 4-0 Anfield win over Burnley in September 2009 - can you remember the rest of the Liverpool starting XI?
Click the image for the answers...
Stat attack
Impress your mates with these facts before kick-off...
- Andy Robertson is in line to make his 50th Premier League appearance for Liverpool, one day before his 25th birthday
- A sixth successive clean sheet for the Reds would be their best such run since December 2005
- Mohamed Salah remains one goal away from a half-century in the league for Liverpool
- Sadio Mane has scored in the last five home league games
Team news
So, what do we know ahead of kick-off?
Liverpool were assessing a 'little muscle issue' for James Milner in the build-up to this fixture, while Dejan Lovren was back in contention after two months out.
Burnley will definitely be without Steven Defour (calf) and Aaron Lennon (knee).
Confirmed teamsheets will be revealed at 11am GMT.
The reverse meeting
It was a tough night at Turf Moor when these teams met back in December, but Liverpool ultimately emerged with a hard-fought win. Relive the best of that game in our highlights package...
A message we can all get behind...
Tale of the tape
Examine the numbers behind each side's Premier League season so far with the interactive Opta tool below...
Cover star
Fabinho is the man of the front of today's official matchday programme - pick up your copy at the stadium or subscribe online here.
How it stands
City's 3-1 home win over Watford on Saturday evening extended their advantage at the summit having played a game more than Liverpool.
Tottenham Hotspur were beaten 2-1 at Southampton, meanwhile, which means the Reds can also further move clear of the Londoners if they defeat Burnley this afternoon.
The boss says
Catch up with everything Klopp discussed at his pre-match press conference below...
Klopp's assessment of Burnley
The manager explained his respect for the Clarets as he spoke to the media on Friday, stressing the need for the Reds to produce their highest level to ensure a successful result.
"It's not that they have the majority of possession in the games usually, so that means we need to create, we need to have ideas, we need to be in a very lively way but patient as well - that's the challenge for all these games," said the boss.
"Historically, against Burnley it was always difficult because they have a really high motivation level always, they are really fighting, they never give up.
"I don't think they have a lot of high results when they lose, they always stay in the game. When you have to make the analysis and watch the last three or four games, you have to say 'respect'."
Last time at Anfield
Liverpool will be looking to replicate the performance of their last outing at Anfield - a 5-0 hammering of Watford late last month...
Welcome
Are you ready?
Liverpool return to Anfield aiming to get back to winning ways a week on from the goalless stalemate at Goodison Park, with Burnley the visitors in the Premier League.
The Reds can close the gap to leaders Manchester City to one point with victory - stick with us for live updates before, during and after the match right here.
