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Liverpool 1 – 1 Burnley – Premier League Postmortem

By Steven Smith

After a week of decent results and encouraging performances, consistency was needed on top of three points as the shadow of Xabi Alonso loomed quietly over Anfield. A draw away to Arsenal followed by FA Cup progression had steadied the ship, but this was the moment Liverpool needed to assert authority. Instead, another frustrating draw arrived, extending a run that continues to drain belief rather than restore it.

Liverpool dominated this game in almost every measurable sense. Possession, territory, chances — all firmly tilted red. Yet once again, domination without control proved meaningless, as a stubborn Burnley side walked away with a point they scarcely threatened to earn.

The Starting Eleven

Liverpool XI

• GK – Alisson Becker

• RB – Jeremie Frimpong

• CB – Ibrahima Konaté

• CB – Virgil van Dijk (c)

• LB – Milos Kerkez

• RW – Dominik Szoboszlai

• CM – Curtis Jones

• ACM – Florian Wirtz

• CM – Ryan Gravenberch

• CF – Hugo Ekitike

• LW – Cody Gakpo

Substitutes

Andy Robertson → Milos Kerkez (79’)

Alexis Mac Allister → Ryan Gravenberch (79’)

Rio Ngumoha → Cody Gakpo (79’)

Federico Chiesa → Curtis Jones (88’)

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Goals

Liverpool 1–0 Burnley – Florian Wirtz (Curtis Jones) – 42’

Liverpool 1–1 Burnley – Marcus Edwards (Florentino Luís) – 65’

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Match Statistics

• Possession – Liverpool 73% | Burnley 27%

• XG – Liverpool 2.96 | Burnley 0.40

• Total Shots – Liverpool 30 | Burnley 7

• Fouls – Liverpool 8 | Burnley 10

• Corners – Liverpool 9 | Burnley 1

First Half

An assured opening period saw Liverpool settle quickly into their familiar rhythm. Burnley were penned in, compact and reactive, offering little more than resistance and hope. The midfield circulated possession efficiently, and the ball lived almost permanently in the visitors’ half.

Yet warning signs emerged early. Too much play funnelled left. Cody Gakpo predictably cuts inside. Movement ahead of Florian Wirtz is limited and static. When the penalty arrived, Dominik Szoboszlai’s thunderous effort crashing against the crossbar felt ominous — a reminder that this side still struggles to convert dominance into security.

Relief eventually came through brilliance. Wirtz’s rasping strike just before the break was emphatic, deserved, and entirely individual. At 1–0, Liverpool should have been preparing to close the game down.

Second Half

Instead, Liverpool drifted.

A chaotic five-minute spell around the hour mark undid everything built in the first half. Sloppy spacing, poor recovery, and passive defending invited Burnley forward. Marcus Edwards punished it with a composed finish — Burnley’s first meaningful threat, their only real moment.

From there, Liverpool resumed dominance but not clarity. Thirty shots told the story of pressure without penetration. Substitutions arrived late, predictably, and with little tactical imagination. The crowd sensed it long before the final whistle — this was another opportunity squandered by inertia.

Final Thoughts

Liverpool’s season continues to stall at crucial moments. Four consecutive Premier League draws, another failure to adapt, and growing frustration in the stands underline a team that no longer knows how to finish what it starts.

This should have been routine. Instead, it became another chapter in a campaign defined by control without conviction. With rivals below collecting points and Champions League qualification no longer guaranteed, the pressure on Arne Slot is no longer theoretical.

This felt like two points dropped. In May, it may feel like far more.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 2 – 0 Burnley

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