Three thoughts on Liverpool's 2-1 win vs. Burnley in the Premier League.

1. Liverpool earn comeback win after early struggles

For Liverpool, this was a genuine rarity. For Burnley, something all too familiar. For the first time in 2017, Jurgen Klopp's team beat one of the Premier League lesser lights. For the 12th time in 14 away matches this season, Sean Dyche's side tasted defeat.

The result may have flattered Liverpool, but at least they could take solace from the fact that they responded after going a goal down. Plus, they can savour a league table that shows them five points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal and six clear of Manchester United. Their immediate rivals for fourth place each have two games in hand, but Liverpool's is the stronger position.

And, considering their defeats to Swansea, Leicester and Hull, overcoming Burnley had a certain significance. Before Sunday, Arsenal and Tottenham were Liverpool's only top-flight victims in the calendar year. While other teams beat the underdogs and need to improve against the elite, Liverpool defeat the best and encounter problems with the rest.

It looked like history might repeat when they trailed a Burnley side that could yet post the worst away record of any team in Premier League history. Klopp's players were unconvincing but ultimately garnished by goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and Emre Can, with the much-criticised German providing a crisp winner.

It may have brought a modicum of revenge for August's loss at Turf Moor, where Burnley contrived to win despite having just 18 percent of possession. The Clarets had more of the ball in the rematch, but the visitors' game plan, which Klopp feels is the clearest in the league, remained similar. That clarity of thought was apparent early as Liverpool looked ragged and Burnley purposeful.

They snapped into challenges, got the ball forward quickly and defended in two blocks of four. Liverpool, with Philippe Coutinho particularly poor, scarcely resembled the all-conquering force of earlier this season. But they procured the points, and perhaps the result, if not the display, will give them momentum.

2. Origi returns to play a key role

If Anfield was relieved when Wijnaldum levelled, it is safe to assume Divock Origi shared those feelings. He had been arguably Liverpool's least effective player but helped fashion the equaliser and would go on to lay on Can's winner.

The fact Origi was on the left to cross ahead of Liverpool's first goal was a reminder of the willingness and running power that endears him to Klopp. The questions around him lie more in terms of quality than attitude.

Take out a run of five goals in as many games in November and December, and Origi has had a wretched campaign. He offered encouragement last year but has seemed to regress this season. His only previous Premier League start of 2017 came at Man United, where his movement was excellent, but his passing was poor, and he was substituted.

It is safe to say he took a while to adjust to starting again. He only touched the ball twice in the opening half hour and was taunted by the away fans who, remembering their former favourite and one of Liverpool's injured forwards, chorused "You're not Danny Ings." Origi was dominated in the air by Burnley's centre-backs.

Yet he delivered the cross that Wijnaldum finished at the second attempt, and a quarter of an hour into the second half, he rolled a pass into Can's path, and German's crisp strike flew past Tom Heaton.

With Ings and Daniel Sturridge ruled out, Klopp had little option but to choose Origi when a muscle injury sidelined Roberto Firmino. Despite the Belgian's assists, Liverpool will hope the talismanic Brazilian is back to face Manchester City next Sunday, if only because of his terrific record in big games.

3. Barnes pays back Dyche's bold move

Teams who invariably lose on the road tend to be cautious. Not Burnley. Dyche selected two strikers, and if he is not quite as wedded to 4-4-2 as he was two seasons ago, it remains his favoured system.

That preference was justified within seven minutes when, as Matt Lowton angled in a cross, Andre Gray made a near-post run to distract defenders and his strike partner Ashley Barnes arrived at the far to finish with a flourish.

It was Burnley's first goal at Anfield since Peter Noble struck in 1975, and a tale linking Barnes and Noble seemed to have literary value to the visitors. A twist in the plot was that Barnes had sat out last week's game at Swansea, suspended for his sending-off at Hull, but Dyche was rewarded for restoring him to the team and demoting Sam Vokes.

Playing a forward duo had other benefits. Liverpool struggled against Burnley's directness, and the Clarets defenders had two targets in attack. Gray was prominent from the off, looking to isolate himself against Ragnar Klavan. He had embarrassed the Estonian when surging clear from the halfway line to score his first Premier League goal in August and evaded his marker at times in the early exchanges here.

His teammate Michael Keane believes Gray is destined to play for England, and if he did not quite support such lofty claims, he was certainly lively in the opening exchanges before fading. Barnes excelled to the end, but Burnley departed with nothing to show for their efforts.

A side that play two strikers still only have two points, at Old Trafford and the KCOM Stadium, from a possible 42 on their travels.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by RICHARD JOLLY

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