A-HEAD OF THE GAME
Liverpool 3 Burnley 1: Reds reclaim Premier League top spot in front of record Anfield crowd after hat-trick of headers
Man City are now two points behind Liverpool but have a game in hand
VINCENT KOMPANY stalked away surely convinced that there will always be a curse on him at Anfield.
He made his first return as a manager having failed eight times to win during his glory days of winning four Prem titles with Manchester City a skipper and centre half.
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Yet he will know that had David Datro Fofana not blown two glorious chances inside three second half minutes he would finally have been able to celebrate.
And while Jurgen Klopp finished up manager as manager of the league leaders again he will be just as aware that he dodged a bullet.
Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwen Nunez got the goals that put Liverpool back in front again after Kompany’s old club had earlier taken a one – point advantage.
But on what was supposed to be a red – letter day, with a new record league crowd of 59,896 watching thanks to the full opening of the new Anfield Road End stand, this was a hollow, nervy victory.
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Klopp went into the game warning that this clash had banana skin potential and his opposite number’s players, appropriately wearing yellow tops, very quickly underlined his concerns.
The German insisted that Vincent Kompany’s side, second – bottom or not, are far more dangerous than their points total might have indicated.
They backed that view up, too, with a bright start while Liverpool were sloppy and lacking focus.
Fofana did start his first game since his loan arrival from Chelsea, proving to be a real handful as Klopp had predicted.
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While he was attempting a cross his effort skewed onto the top of the bar, catching out Caoimhin Kelleher, in for No1 Alisson who, like Joe Gomez, had been downed by ‘flu' within the home side’s squad.
The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper then had to be very switched on indeed ten minutes in.
While Klopp’s players stood off, their opponents breezed through the middle and Kelleher had to be good and brave to disappoint Zeki Amdouni.
There may have been that record attendance but the atmosphere was flat, twitchy at bst amongst the majority.
It looked like the 3 – 1 defeat by Arsenal six games earlier had hit hard, nobody in a red shirt in any way eager to take a chance in possession.
By the 31st minute James Trafford hadn’t had a goal attempt to save – and then when he was asked a serious question came up with the wrong answer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold swung over a corner from the right, Trafford left his line with his stream of “’keeper” echoing around the stadium.
But he missed his punch, clattered into O’Shea, and the diminutive Jota couldn’t miss with his header.
Not that Klopp was able to relax and he picked up a yellow card for protesting that that a shove on Jota should have produced a penalty.
He was even more stressed by the 45th minute, as the Clarets clawed themselves level.
Josh Brownhill, who along with Sander Berge were the only players in Kompany’s young side to have played at Anfield delivered a corner that was met by a tremendous leap and header from O’Shea.
Problems mounted for Klopp, Alexander-Arnold forced out at half time as an injury precaution, Elliott replacing him, midfielder Curtis Jones switching to right back.
As it transpired, the switch turned out to be a blessing in disguise Elliott provided a badly – needed injection of energy.
It was from his neat cross that Diaz grabbed the lead again with a darting 52nd minute header yet the goal was clocked in controversy.
Alexis Mac Allister look to go right through Aaron Ramsey in going for the ball on the edge of the box.
It flew to Elliott and he did his thing well but Kompany was furious – and like Klopp booked - that a long VAR check didn’t rule out the strike for that challenge by the Argentinian.
Still Liverpool couldn’t find a telling rhythm and had Fofana not blown those two chances then Klopp may well have been overseeing the biggest shock of the Prem season.
But in the 64th minute, after Jarrell Quansah had sent an attempted clearance straight into the Ivorian’s path, he went for power instead of placing his shot and Kelleher, out fast, blocked.
Then Amdouni headed forward, the home defence was stretched, and the front man found himself one – on – one with the man Klopp calls the world’s best No 2.
He didn’t need to make a save this time, however, Fofana steering his shot wide of the Irishman and the far post.
Kompany’s agony was complete in the 79th minute as Elliott underlined how important he has been in the eight-game absence of Mo Salah.
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His chip from the right was delicious and Nunez, the Prem record holder for hitting woodwork in a season, made sure there would be no tenth moment of frustration with a fine header.
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