Lallana’s Impact, Salah’s Form, and Other Talking Points as Liverpool Beat Burnley

Liverpool didn’t have the best of starts against Burnley at Anfield, but showed enough fighting spirit and quality to come back and win the game 4-2.

Burnley took the lead in the 6^th minute thanks to an Ashley Westwood delivery from a corner kick that made its way into the goal, and complains from Alisson, who was fouled by James Tarkowski, fell on deaf ears.

The Reds, however, didn’t buckle under the pressure as Burnley sat back and tried to protect their lead.

Here are three talking points from the game.

The Burnley goal might have helped the Reds

In a way, the Burnley goal made it easier for Liverpool as the Clarets played a low-block and wanted to defend, even though it was very early in the game.

What the early goal did was help Liverpool dominate possession, and when you give them so much time on the ball, they usually make you pay.

The front three weren’t in the best of form heading into the game considering the Reds had three goalless draws in four games in all competitions, but combined well against Burnley.

Mane and Firmino scored a brace each, while Salah did well on the right even though he didn’t get on the score-sheet.

The pattern of the game was decided because Burnley scored early, and after the sixth minute, everything Liverpool did had more intensity and purpose associated with it. Perhaps Burnley scored a bit too early.

Adam Lallana finally impresses after months, maybe years

Eyebrows were raised when Lallana was named in the starting XI ahead of Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita. Ahead of the mid-week Champions League game against Bayern Munich, Klopp decided to hand Lallana a chance, and the 30-year old put in an impressive display.

Lallana rolled back the years and showed the tenacity that fans were used to when Klopp first arrived and used the former Southampton man in midfield because of his energy.

The 30-year old’s ability on the ball is never a doubt, but because he hasn’t been able to perform consistently, there were doubts if he was the right player to use against a Burnley side who are very physical and direct in their approach.

Lallana finished the game with four tackles, the highest on the pitch, and helped the team press Burnley in their own half.

The England international also managed two key passes as he worked well in the half spaces. A promising display from Lallana, and the fans will hope he will continue to do a tidy job when called up in the coming months.

Salah’s performance – Good or bad?

Salah’s first season with the Reds was so good, that everyone expects him to score every other game. Liverpool have scored nine goals in their last two home games in the league, yet Salah didn’t manage to get on the score sheet.

While Klopp and most of the fans will point out that he is creating chances for his teammates, which is a good thing, his poor finishing has and might continue to hurt the Reds away from home.

Considering Liverpool’s front three do a bulk of the scoring, when they fail to get on the score sheet, Liverpool end up drawing the game as they don’t have a midfielder who can score ten or more goals a season.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain can perhaps do that, but it remains to be seen how many games he’ll be able to play in the coming months.

Salah did a lot of good things against Burnley, but he did go five shot without scoring. The sooner he finds the back of the net, the better.

Stats via Whoscored