Burnley, by contrast, were more efficient and clinical with the ball, and patient, tenacious and committed without it, which was most of the time. At half time I felt there was still something in the game for us so again we tried but we lost our timing and patience.
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Klopp added: “When we conceded the first goal, we had a lot of time to win the game”.
The result represents a frustrating setback for Klopp’s charges – who opened the season last weekend with a morale-boosting 4-3 victory away at Arsenal. The Wales worldwide missed the first half of Burnley’s previous top-flight campaign with a knee injury which hampered his progress when he eventually came back but, after a confidence-boosting Euro 2016, the big frontman took Burnley’s first Premier League goal against Liverpool – and their first in the league in six matches – well.
“It was a hard game for us”.
Champion Leicester was left fuming after two penalty appeals were denied, with Danny Drinkwater felled by Laurent Koscielny at the end of the first half and substitute Ahmed Musa brought down by Hector Bellerin in the 88th minute. “The rest defended with big hearts, so I respect this, but of course, usually in a game like this, we win – if we don’t make the mistakes that we did”.
The goals were the only shots Burnley mustered on target during the match, but Liverpool failed to find a response despite dominating possession and Dyche feels the result justified his tactics.
This pretty much sums up the position of Liverpool football club in the modern game.
The likeliest output for any end product against Burnley looked to come from Philippe Coutinho, but the Reds can not afford to overly rely on pieces of magic from the Brazilian as they have done the past two seasons when things aren’t going well. “You can’t win matches like that”. I want to penetrate, create and take chances. They [Liverpool] are a fine side and have players everywhere who can keep the ball, ” he said.
“They’re not Barcelona”, quipped Murphy after the Reds were caught trying to play short passes out of defence for Burnley’s opening goal after just two minutes on Saturday.
Bojan converted and Stoke went on to have a good spell, but ultimately they could not take advantage of a dip in City’s intensity. “This win’s very important for us as it gives everyone confidence”.
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Diego Costa fired Chelsea to another late victory as the Spain striker secured a 2-1 win at Watford just days after his last-gasp heroics saw off West Ham United.
