Liverpool FC
Burnley FC
Burnley FC
Liverpool aiming to return to winning ways against stuttering Burnley
Liverpool to win 2-1
Liverpool dominated their match against Manchester United at the weekend, but were perhaps a little lucky to come away with a draw after United missed some huge opportunities near the end.
The result means that the Reds have now gone four games without a win in the league, scoring just once during that period. They are 13 points worse off than at this stage last season, although all teams have struggled at times.
Player injuries and illnesses have not helped, but there is certainly a feeling that Liverpool are not currently as unplayable as they were last season.
Burnley remain just above the relegation zone, despite back-to-back defeats against Manchester United and West Ham.
The Clarets have played well recently, but you feel they will struggle to get anything from this game either. With the likes of Fulham and West Brom breathing down their necks, they’ll need to pick up points soon.
Form Guide (all comps): DDLWD
Reasons to be cheerful:
Joel Matip should be fit to return to the team
Have only lost once to Burnley in previous 12 meetings
Reasons to be fearful:
Top scorer Salah has gone four games without a goal
Burnley will make it tough to find their feet in front of goal
Liverpool face not scoring in four consecutive matches for the first time in 21 years.
Manchester United, Southampton and Newcastle are the sides who have shut the door on the Reds in recent weeks, with Liverpool strangely off the pace in front of goal.
Star striker Mo Salah has also gone four games without a goal, proving just how much the team needs him. Firmino, although offering more than just goals, and Sadio Mane have also seen their goal tally dry up.
Perhaps having to make do with a makeshift defence has not helped things, so the return of Joel Matip will be a welcome boost in this game.
With Spurs and West Ham coming up, Liverpool will eye this fixture as a great opportunity to return to winning ways.
Star Man – Mo Salah
Does not often go long without scoring – the Egyptian could come back firing on all cylinders against Burnley.
Form Guide (all comps): LWWLL
Reasons to be cheerful:
Burnley were the only side to take points of Liverpool at Anfield last season
They’ve played well recently and could frustrate Liverpool
Reasons to be fearful:
Remain the league’s lowest goal scorers
Only Chris Wood has scored more than one goal this season
Unfortunately for Burnley, their good run of form at the end of 2020 seems to have been short-lived.
Having beaten Wolves and Sheffield United, as well as getting through to the next round of the FA Cup, fans would have been uplifted by the way Burnley were improving their season.
Coming into this one however, Burnley are staring down the barrel of three defeats on the bounce. With a four points buffer between them and Fulham, they are not yet in danger of moving into the bottom three, but they’ll need to pick up points sooner rather than later.
They must somehow create more goalscoring opportunities – surprisingly, Wood is their only player with more than a single goal to his name in the league this season.
Star Man – James Tarkowski
This is a match in which Burnley will have to defend for their lives. Tarkowski, alongside Ben Mee, will have a busy night.
Liverpool are favourites but can they click into gear?
Burnley will give up most of the possession
The Reds will need to be patient to break their opponents down
The games come thick and fast at this time of the season, and with Mourinho’s Spurs up next for Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp knows that there is no better time than to rediscover their winning form.
Burnley are likely to frustrate Liverpool for large periods, but if they can be patient, the home team should take the victory.
Liverpool to win 2-1
