Ragnar Klavan the unlikely hero as Liverpool beat Burnley in injury time
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ByEurosport
Updated 01/01/2018 at 17:32 GMT
Premier League, Turf Moor - Burnley 1 (Gudmundsson 88) Liverpool 2 (Mane 61, Klavan 90+4)
Liverpool's Estonian defender Ragnar Klavan (L) celebrates with teammates
Image credit: Getty Images
Ragnar Klavan scored deep into injury time for Liverpool as they beat Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor despite missing a number of key names.
Burnley thought they had snatched a draw when Johann Berg Gudmundsson netted a late equaliser to cancel out Sadio Mane’s stunning opener, but Liverpool stole all three points when Klavan headed in at the back post three minutes into stoppage time.
The visitors were hampered by injuries to Barcelona target Philippe Coutinho and top goalscorer Mohamed Salah, while Roberto Firmino was named as a substitute. Jurgen Klopp made seven changes in total from the side that beat Leicester only 48 hours earlier, and his selection gamble was almost punished.
Liverpool remain fourth with victory but are level on points with third-placed Manchester United ahead of their match at Everton later on Monday. Meanwhile, Burnley, who are now on a five-game winless streak, remain seventh.
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Dejan Lovren of Liverpool, Trent Alex Arnold of Liverpool and Emre Can of Liverpool celebrate
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TALKING POINT
Liverpool win without Coutinho - and was it really necessary to drop Firmino? The Reds struggled for large parts of the game, but this victory will give them belief that they can win without their Brazilian playmaker, should the worst happen and he does complete his move to the Camp Nou during the January transfer window. With games coming thick and fast over the festive period, including two in 48 hours, rotation is a must, but was it really necessary for Klopp to rest Firmino, with Coutinho and Salah missing?
MAN OF THE MATCH
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley): The Icelandic winger caused Liverpool all kinds of problems in the wide areas with his movement, direct running and pace. He grabbed a deserved goal, but it wasn't enough.
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Burnley's Icelandic midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson (C) celebrates with teammates
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Burnley: Pope 7, Bardsley 6, Tarkowski 7, Mee 7, Taylor 7, Gudmundsson 8, Defour 7, Cork 6, Arfield 7, Hendrick 5, Barnes 6. Subs: Lindegaard, Lowton, Vokes 5, Westwood, Walters, Wells N/A, Long.
Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Lovren 7, Klavan 7, Gomez 6, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Can 7, Wijnaldum 7, Mane 7, Solanke 6, Lallana 7. Subs: Milner N/A, Firmino 6.
KEY MOMENTS
8’ - OVER! A mistake by Alexander-Arnold sees Liverpool concede possession in midfield. Burnley work the ball into Barnes but he fails to keep his shot down from just inside the area. Decent opportunity for Burnley, that.
37’ - CLOSE! Barnes knocks a long ball down for Arfield on the edge of the box and he volleys inches wide of the goal. It is a really smart effort and Burnley are unfortunate not to be leading.
61’ - Burnley 0-1 Liverpool (Mane). Oh how this game needed that! Mane breaks the deadlock with a moment of magic! He has been starved of any real service, but he makes the most of this half opportunity. He collects the ball on the edge of the penalty area from Alexander-Arnold's cross, his lovely first touch kills the ball and he strikes it into the roof of the net with his second. Liverpool are up and running in 2018!
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Liverpool's Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mane (R) celebrates with Liverpool's English midfielder Trent Alexander-Arnold (C)
Image credit: Getty Images
74’ - SAVE! Decent effort from Alexander-Arnold whose 25-yard effort is pushed away by Pope. It was heading for the top corner but the Burnley goalkeeper did well to pull off the stop.
88’ – GOAL! Burnley 1-1 Liverpool (Gudmundsson). Burnley restore parity, right at the death! They win a throw-in, Taylor finds space to deliver a cross, it's flicked on by Vokes at the near post and Gudmundsson heads in at the back post.
90’+3 - Burnley 1-2 Liverpool (Klavan). Liverpool snatch the victory with one of the final kicks of the game! Lovren does wonderfully to head a long free-kick into the danger area and Klavan gets the final touch at the back post.
KEY STATS
- Liverpool have now gone 16 games in all competitions without defeat (W11 D5) – their longest unbeaten run under Jurgen Klopp.
- Ragnar Klavan's goal for Liverpool is the first scored by an Estonian player in Premier League history.
- Sadio Mane has been involved in five goals in his last four Premier League games away from Anfield (two goals, three assists), as many as in his previous 15 combined.
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