InkBlog

Will Unwin’s report has just landed so I’ll sign off with that. Thanks for keeping me company. Hope you all close out 2023 with smiles on your face (no matter your views on VAR).

Unsurprisingly, Klopp doesn’t think Elliot’s goal should have been disallowed.

“Only someone who has never played football could say it’s not a goal”

I’m not sure about that comment but I do agree that the goal should have stood. Salah was clearly pushed into an off-side position. Besides, Trafford wasn’t getting there.

Up next, it’s Jurgen Klopp with a big smile on his face:

What is really the Liverpool way? It looks like we throw hurdles in front of us and then eventually find a way of coming over it. We played an incredible game and it was only 1-0. They could have scored an equaliser. Then with the most difficult situation of the game, Diogo Jota scores an incredible goal.

Watara Endo could have been player of the match. Without him the game might have been very strange.

We’re creating a lot of chances. It’s out fourth game in 10 days. We just have to get through it. We have five days between now and the next game which means we should maybe go on holiday.

Here’s the player of the match, Virgil van Dijk:

It was very important to get three points here. It was a very intense night. I think we did very well. There was a bit of chaos after the goal that was disallowed. But very pleased with the performance.

I don’t think there was a lot of luck. They [Burnley] played with confidence so we had to be good, and we were good.

[Quansah] is a fantastic talent, up and coming. It’s nice to see. If I can help him I’ll be very pleased.

[On Nunez] As a striker if you don’t score it could get in your head. But I don’t see that from the guys. Cody was fantastic, Diogo comes in with a goal. We have a hunger in the team.

[Being top of the league] It’s December so we won’t get too far ahead. But I’m very pleased as it’s the last game on the year. We can spend some time with family and then we’ll focus on Newcaslte. But let’s see where we are in May.

Burnley remain second bottom. They’ve lost nine of their 10 games at home this season. Brilliant going forward but without a cutting edge. Panicky at the back. Some boos from the home fans. Must be so frustrating supporting them at the minute. They weren’t terrible. But they got the result they deserved.

Full-time: Burnley 0-2 Liverpool

One in the 9th minute, another four times from the end, but Liverpool got it done. Top of the league with another win on Boxing Day.

“Jota comes back from injury with a goal! Really need him, with Salah off to Afcon.”

Right you are Simon Hart. If Egypt go all the way Salah will miss seven games at least. Klopp, though, has plenty of options up front.

90+4 min: Van Dijk gets the official player of the match award. If it stayed 1-0 then perhaps Trafford would have got it. But big Virgil was faultless again so no complaints from me.

90+3 min: Salah twice tries to find Jota at the back post and twice he’s denied. “Liverpool top of the league” rings out from the away section at Turf Moor. Berger at the back post for Burnley can’t keep a header down.

O’Shea is also booked for that tackle on Endo in the build-up to Jota’s goal. Oh, that’s also 50 Liverpool goals for Jota who reached the milestone with his first attempt.

GOAL! Burnley 0-2 Liverpool (Jota 90+1)

One chance. One goal. Liverpool wrap it up. Slick from Liverpool. O’Shea rushes out to make a tackle on Endo but he’s beaten to it. That creates the space and Liverpool move it down the left and into the box. Diaz has the ball and tries to work the space to shoot. He can’t and instead taps it for Jota on the overlap behind him. One touch and from an acute angle he smashes it low past Trafford. It’s come late, but it’s finally come. Game over.

90 min: Five added minutes. Liverpool won’t mind that. Van Dijk rises at a corner but balloons his header wide. Burnley are pressing high up the pitch.

88 min: This is becoming a basketball game. Trafford now saves low with his feet. What would the score be without Burnley’s young keeper? He’s having a terrific game. I’d still give him player of the match no matter what happens from here.

87 min: Larsen almost scores! Endo’s ball is a shocker. Inside his own half, he plays it straight to Larsen who moves a few metres forward before shooting with his right. He’s aiming for the far corner and almost finds it. Alisson as well beaten.

86 mins: Liverpool just about get around Burnley’s high press and move the ball into space down the left. Burnley get enough bodies behind the ball and Alexander-Arnold, into midfield, unleashes a cutting shot on the bounce across the face of Trafford’s goal. The ‘keeper was scrambling, but the spin on the shot meant it was always drifting wide.

84 min: That’s another good run from Odebert. If only he saw more of the ball in this game.

Nunez the goalscorer is hooked for Jota.

Burnley also make a switch. It’s a double. Redmond and Larsen replace Amdouni and Foster who at most had three touches of the ball.

82 min: Szoboszlai thunders a shot from range after collecting the ball in midfield. Trafford’s show stopping dive suggests the ball was close to the top corner but it was about five metres wide at least. Still, a couple of opportunities for the photographers on the touchline.

81 min: Amdouni does brilliantly to steal the ball on the half-way line. He bursts forward. Runners towards the box. Taylor on his outside. He chooses the fullback but it’s a terrible pass and the counter attack fizzles to nothing. I tell you what. I can see Burnley nick a goal. Liverpool have not managed this game well.

79 min: What a mazy run from Odebert. He skips round one, bursts past another and then stands up a third. He’s into the box. Can he show composure? No. A meek toe-poke sees the ball squirt wide of the post. Better though. More of that please Burnley.

78 min: Brownhill’s free kick from deep is a good one but not a single Burnley player made the necessary run. So it dribbles for a goal-kick.

77 min: Alexander-Arnold’s first attempt doesn’t beat the solitary man in the wall. He gets another chance on his left foot and curls one to the back post. The header back has a few Liverpool men interested but Trafford – Burnley’s best player by a distance tonight – snatches it.

Alexander-Arnold is booked for a lunging foul as Burnley break.

75 min: Slow and steady again from Liverpool. That is until Salah has the ball on the right. He drops a shoulder, draws the tackler and then slides a ball against the grain for Nunez. The striker is moving away from goal but still manages to win a free-kick outside the box. Alexander-Arnold to deliver from wide.

73 min: Oh wow, Szoboszlai has turned the ball AWAY from goal. A wonderful cross from Alexander-Arnold from the right finds Jones at the back post who heads it towards goal. Szoboszlai lifts a leg but rather divert it to the net, he hooks it backwards. A tough chance, but a chance for Liverpool. A word for Nunez in the build up. He’s been great tonight.

71 min: And that’s exactly what Liverpool are now doing. Passes across the back four and then to Alisson – who punts it straight out – does slow the game down. A solitary ‘booo’ rings out. Burnley need to keep their foot on the gas.

69 min: Liverpool under seige! A desperate tackle at the near post prevents the cross but it’s all Burnley now. They have 11 men defending this corner that ends with an ungainly shot from Taylor that goes out for a goal-kick. Liverpool need to slow things down and quiet the crowd.

68 min: Should be 1-1. How has Gudmundsson missed at the back post? Brilliant from Odobert on the left. Step-overs, turn of pace and then a wicked ball across the face of the goal. Gudmundsson rises but the ball hits his head and bounces over the bar. They might not get a better chance.

66 min: Big chance for Burnley. Berger steals in and gets on to a van Dijk header. The snatched shot dfrom the dge of the area dribbles wide.

Triple sub for Liverpool:

Gakpo, Elliot and Gravenbach are off. Diaz, Jones and Szoboszlai are on.

65 min: Gudmundsson replaces Tresor (or at least he did five minutes ago). Liverpool are preparing a triple switch. Taylor now again in an advanced position. Burnley have been the better team after the goal was chalked off. Momentum, eh?

63 min: Taylor, who has barely moved past the half-way line, finally has a chance to cross. It’s wild and wide. But it’s a positive sign that Burnley have managed to get their left-back in an advanced position. Burnley’s line has shifted about five metres up the pitch.

62 min: I’m getting a few messages on the disallowed goal. Both Colin Davenport and Declan O’Brien have pointed out that Salah might have been pushed in the back and into an offside position. Again, I think that’s beside the point. I don’t think Trafford is reaching Elliot’s shot either way. So I’m with you Liverpool fans. I believe the goal should have stood.

60 min: Trafford is now showing off. He sprints off his line to sweep up a loose ball and shows a touch of class with a wonderful bit of skill to open the space for himself.

59 min: Burnley almost pinch one. A header at the near post from a corner is deflected off Nunez and loops over the bar. That could have gone anywhere. Shows how precarious a 1-0 lead is.

58 mins: For the first time the Burnley fans have raised their voice above a mumble. That’s given them a lift. But they’re scrambling at the back as Salah’s marauding run into the box is cut short with a great sliding tackle from Beyer (I think). Then Burnley counter and win a corner. Game’s suddenly exploded into life.

NO-GOAL! Burnley 0-1 Liverpool

VAR comes to Burnley’s rescue. Salah was definitely in front of Trafford but I don’t think it would have made a difference. Elliot squeezed that shot from close in against the post and I don’t think Trafford – as good as he is – would have got there.

Hang on. They’re checking this. Salah might have been in front of Trafford as the shot came in. I think this will be scrapped from the record.

GOAL! Burnley 0-2 Liverpool (Elliot 55)

That was coming! Elliot with a lovely side-footer into the corner. Patience pays off. Slow build up until Gakpo inside the Burnley box has space. A short pass back into a dangerous area finds Elliot and his first time pass finds the net.

54 mins: Gomez skips around a defender on the left and hoists a ball into the box. It’s not a very good delivery and is easily dealt with. Still, sharp work from Gomez to find the space. Alexander-Arnold has moved into midfield. Salah tries to thread the needle but the pass is blocked. Elliot recycles and they’re back on the move with Endo ticking it along. Burnley holding firm for now.

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