Liverpool's four-year unbeaten league run at Anfield is over - and so might be their title defence

Liverpool’s four-year unbeaten home record is over. So might be their title defence.

Burnley and Sean Dyche triumphed where 68 predecessors failed, and perhaps what is most surprising is how unsurprising it felt by the time of Ashley Barnes’ winning penalty.

Sometimes you can smell a defeat when the team sheets arrive. There was a clue in Liverpool’s starting line-up, with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino starting on the bench.

Whatever analysis that is granted - they have hardly been in undroppable form of late - it signalled a manager searching for solutions in the least obvious places.

Then Jordan Henderson’s absence with a muscle injury maintained Liverpool’s structural imbalance. Henderson’s authority and influence is more noticeable when he is not there.

And lest we forget, Dyche arrived as one of only three managers to take a point from this stadium in the last two seasons. He could not have executed the game plan better.

His team repelled, fought, blocked and harried their way to victory, taking advantage with the 82nd minute sucker punch after Alisson’s mistimed dive on the matchwinner.

It may be premature to start writing the obituary of Liverpool’s title defence, but this was the most worrying night in a recent downturn which has brought no goals and two defeats in four games.

Klopp’s side has not scored a league goal in 2021. Their last, by Sadio Mane against West Bromwich Albion, was 438 minutes ago.

The champions had chances. They also hit the bar. But the attacking slickness which brought so much success is a memory. So too is that finely tuned balance between the different positions, although the defeat could be attributed to sapping confidence or - as Klopp saw it - ‘poor decisions’ in front of goal.

That is to take nothing from Burnley, who did what they do at their best. Their centre-backs dealt with comfortably with every cross, and if there is a better English goalkeeper than Nick Pope, who is it? It is not that he was overworked, but he has that quality where everything he does looks at ease.

As his side continued to toil in the final third, Klopp’s growing concern was never more apparent when, as referee Mike Dean blew for half-time, he cut short his usual dash towards the dressing room upon hearing a commotion on the pitch.

Barnes had fallen under the challenge of Fabinho, and Joel Matip - usually one of the quieter souls in the Liverpool dressing room - yelled at the striker for the ease with which he had gone to ground.

While there was a melee outside, Klopp and Dyche argued in the players’ tunnel. Dean booked Matip and, after a VAR check, did nothing else. The incident, and the overblown reaction to it, seemed to say more about Liverpool’s emotional state, as if Klopp had a sense of foreboding.

Until recently, well organised defensive teams have not halted Liverpool’s progress. Burnley’s ability to limit the hosts to hopeful shots from distance for most of the evening was another indication of what’s changed.

Liverpool’s indifferent results inspire countless theories as to why that is. The most obvious is that football during the pandemic has been generally low quality. Ally that to the absence of a centre-back who changed the course of Anfield history and the investigation might be short.

But there is also truth in additional explanations. We can’t ignore the worryingly inconsistent period for the once lethal front three.

There is also a style makeover in midfield when Thiago Alcantara rather than Henderson and Fabinho are the fulcrum. Yet again it was left to Gini Wijnaldum to accept most of the burden of midfield running and high pressing. His engine may be dry by the time he leaves on a free transfer in the summer.

Then there is the reluctance of the full-backs to play as wingers without the defensive security of the world’s best defender. At least Matip was back after his recent injury, freeing Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson to overlap more often than recently. But Burnley are the type of side which can tolerate high, whipped crosses from deep. Liverpool failed to deliver enough low crosses in advanced areas which are more difficult to deal with.

Their best chance of the first half came not from creativity, but from an error from Ben Mee, slicing his attempted backpass to Divock Origi, Origi could count himself unlucky as his shot struck the underside of the crossbar, but in truth he should have been more accurate with only Pope to beat. It was no surprise when Salah and Firmino were finally introduced just before the hour. It changed nothing.

Firmino slicing wide an easy chance on 71 minutes was symptomatic of shattered belief in front of goal.

As was the case with West Brom and Manchester United in recent Anfield fixtures, the visitors’ threat grew in tandem with the hosts’ anxieties.

By the time Alisson, usually so reliable, scurried onto Barnes in the penalty area, the rest of the Premier League could see the clearest evidence of the champions faltering.

Unless Liverpool reconnect with their former selves, their toils have not only opened the door for new Premier League winners, but perhaps new Champions League qualifiers.

09:59 PM

Liverpool winless in five in the league

... and, though they stay fourth for now, they are in danger of dropping out of the Champions League spots.

Burnley rise to 16th, seven points above the relegation zone. Dyche will be absolutely delighted.

09:55 PM

Full time, Liverpool 0-1 Burnley

What a win for Burnley that is.

Liverpool had dozens of shots, several great chances and the lion's share of possession. Burnley had a penalty smartly won and converted by Barnes and, against all odds, it was enough to secure them a first victory at Anfield in 47 years.

09:51 PM

90+2 mins

Alisson is up for a corner. It's desperate stuff from Liverpool now, with Takumi Minamino seeing a speculative shot blocked.

09:49 PM

90 mins

Burnley almost kill the game, Barnes setting up McNeil for an effort which whistles past the post.

09:48 PM

89 mins

Another chance goes begging for Liverpool, Mane fizzing a cross into the box only for Firmino to hook a weak shot on target.

Mee blocks and Burnley scramble it away. Dyche can breathe a husky sigh of relief.

09:45 PM

86 mins

Matip is booked for a very deliberate handball as Burnley look to break.

09:44 PM

84 mins

Klopp makes his final substitution. Liverpool need to dig deep here.

09:42 PM

GOAL! Liverpool 0-1 Burnley

Barnes makes no mistake and Burnley have an unlikely lead.

Can they hold on for a famous win?

09:41 PM

PENALTY TO BURNLEY!

Wow.

McNeil wins a free kick and drifts it in towards Barnes. Fabinho tries to let it run back to Alisson but misjudges it horribly, forcing the keeper to rush out wildly. He catches Barnes and Dean points to the spot.

09:36 PM

77 mins

Salah wins a free kick after knocking the ball past Pieters on the edge of the box.

Alexander-Arnold thumps in a delivery, but Pope is there to punch it clear.

09:32 PM

73 mins

Firmino squanders an excellent opportunity after Robertson wins the ball in Burnley's final third, spooning wide after a quick one-two with his teammate.

Liverpool want a penalty not long afterwards when a cross bobbles up onto Pieters' side, but Dean isn't interested and neither is VAR.

09:29 PM

70 mins

Scary moment for Liverpool!

McNeil whizzes down the left flank and finds Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who goes uncomfortably close.

09:27 PM

68 mins

Alexander-Arnold scoops the ball to Firmino in the area, but he fails to get a shot on target from a very tight angle.

09:25 PM

67 mins

Alisson makes an excellent save after Barnes latches onto a ball from deep and gets a shot on goal, though he's belatedly flagged for offside.

09:24 PM

65 mins

Liverpool win the ball high up the pitch, Salah roars forwards and Mane sprints onto his cut back, only for Matt Lowton to thwart him at the last.

Meanwhile, Dyche makes his second change of the night.

09:19 PM

61 mins

Liverpool are pushing and probing now, Alexander-Arnold getting several wicked crosses into the box.

Pope makes the save of the game from Salah, stretching to keep him out at the near post. Wijnaldum made a galloping run through the midfield in the build-up and the hosts seem to be finding more space in and around the box as time ticks on.

09:15 PM

57 mins

Klopp rolls the dice, bringing off Origi and Oxlade-Chamberlain for Salah and Firmino.

09:10 PM

51 mins

Pope makes an excellent save from Alexander-Arnold while unsighted, before keeping out Mane at close range.

He's been up to everything Liverpool have thrown at him so far, but that was a close one.

09:08 PM

48 mins

Charlie Taylor needs treatment after a routine clearance and it looks like he's tweaked a muscle.

Dyche is forced to make the first change of the game, bringing on Erik Pieters.

09:04 PM

Second half underway

... can someone break the deadlock here? Or are we heading towards a third goalless draw in five league games for Liverpool?

09:00 PM

Afters in the tunnel

As well as Fabinho's coming-together with Barnes, there was a heated exchange between Klopp and Dyche as they left their respective dugouts.

The second half could be a little bit spicy!

08:53 PM

Interesting stat

13 - Liverpool had 13 shots in the opening 45 minutes against Burnley; their most in the first half a Premier League game without scoring since December 2017 v Leicester City (also 13). Wasteful. pic.twitter.com/UON74lCa7C

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 21, 2021

08:50 PM

Half time, Liverpool 0-0 Burnley

... and there's some argy-bargy after Fabinho bundles into Barnes just as the whistle goes.

Fabinho gets a caution and, after a VAR check, Dean seems satisfied that nothing too serious has occurred.

08:47 PM

45 mins

In what is likely the last chance of the first half, Liverpool win a free kick in a menacing position only for Alexander-Arnold to lash high and wide.

08:45 PM

43 mins

It's a head-in-hands moment for Origi.

Ben Mee fluffs a back pass, Origi charges through one-on-one and, with Pope stranded, he goes for the spectacular. Unfortunately for him, his effort ricochets off the goal frame. He could have gone for a much simpler finish.

08:43 PM

39 mins

A good passing move from the hosts ends with Shaqiri freeing up Alexander-Arnold for a shot, but it's blocked.

Liverpool have had 90 per cent possession over the last 10 minutes and seem to be edging closer to an opener. Barnes gets the first booking of the game after a foul on Thiago Alcantara.

08:40 PM

36 mins

Liverpool have been limited to long shots so far, Alexander-Arnold the latest to blast over the crossbar.

Robertson has a decent effort from distance soon afterwards, stinging Pope's palms.

08:38 PM

31 mins

Origi has another good opportunity after Mane sprints through the Burnley midfield and picks him out with a clever pass.

He takes one too many touches and, with yellow shirts converging, his effort floats harmlessly into Pope's outstretched gloves.

08:31 PM

28 mins

Liverpool win a free kick to the left of the box and Robertson whips a smart delivery into the danger zone, but there's too much jostling for Mike Dean's liking and Burnley end up with a free kick.

Klopp looks characteristically animated on the sidelines. Origi goes close not long afterwards, cutting across the box and unleashing a low shot which is saved by Pope.

08:27 PM

25 mins

Tarkowski gets a long ball up to Wood, who finds McNeil in a dangerous position.

He bursts into the box and looks to get a ball across the face of goal, but Fabinho makes a vital intervention.

08:24 PM

22 mins

Oxlade-Chamberlain has a bash from distance, but Pope makes a routine save.

08:23 PM

21 mins

Shaqiri goes close!

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Georginio Wijnaldum combine well in midfield before the latter tees up Shaqiri outside the box. He smashes a shot at goal, but it drifts just wide.

08:21 PM

20 mins

Liverpool win two corners in quick succession, but they come to nothing.

08:20 PM

18 mins

Dwight McNeil nicks the ball off Alexander-Arnold and lofts a long ball up to Wood.

He looks to have got on the wrong side of Matip but, guess what? He's offside.

08:17 PM

15 mins

Wood gets a shot away after a long ball up from the back but, once again, the flag is raised.

08:15 PM

12 mins

Good chance for Burnley!

Alisson comes haring out to challenge Chris Wood in the air, before stopping a fierce drive from Barnes at close range. A dicey moment for Liverpool, there.

08:12 PM

10 mins

Ashley Barnes bears down on goal and gets a shot away, which is easily saved by Alisson.

Barnes looked offside and, the moment the ball leaves his boot, the flag goes up.

08:09 PM

6 mins

Alexander-Arnold wins a corner from James Tarkowski and, taking it himself, tees up Mane for a thumping header.

Luckily for Burnley, it's blocked. Nick Pope looked like he just about had it covered.

08:06 PM

4 mins

Alisson sends a clearance upfield, Mane does well to win the second ball and Origi, from a full 40 yards, thumps a first-time shot into the rafters.

08:04 PM

2 mins

Sadio Mane controls a long throw from Trent Alexander-Arnold, turns on his heel and almost sends Andy Robertson through on goal.

Liverpool win a corner, the ball is cleared, Shaqiri pumps it back in and Fabinho glances a header wide.

08:00 PM

Teams in the tunnel

... and we're about to kick off.

Here's a fun fact from the history books: Burnley last won away at Anfield in September 1974.

07:53 PM

Dyche thinks goals will come for Burnley

Asked about Burnley's limited attacking threat this season, Dyche says: "I think early season we had a number of injuries. We've got through that period, we've settled down the defensive side of things and we look more solid, but then you're looking for that balance.

"We've got it right on a couple of occasions, we've created some good chances... at some point, stats and facts suggest we will score some goals. We just want them to come quicker."

07:48 PM

Klopp explains team selection

Asked why Salah and Firmino have been benched this evening, Klopp tells Sky: "It's a reaction to the quality in the squad, which we have to use.

"It's clear that from now on we play every three days pretty much and that's why we have to make changes. That's the only reason."

07:31 PM

Rotation up front

In an effort to get his forward line firing again, Klopp has made two changes to the front three which faced Manchester United on Sunday.

Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino drop to the bench, with Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi starting instead. It might give some Liverpool fans the jitters but, according to Opta, it could be a shrewd move.

07:10 PM

Good news for Liverpool

... with Joel Matip and Kostas Tsimikas returning from injury.

Klopp has been forced to find makeshift solutions at centre-back recently, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Matip all sidelined. While Jordan Henderson isn't in the squad tonight owing to "a minor fitness issue", Matip's comeback should mean that he can return to midfield before long having deputised in defence over the last few games.

07:01 PM

Burnley team news

LINE-UP | Here is how the Clarets line-up this evening at Anfield. ⬇️

Charlie Taylor and Dwight McNeil return to the starting XI. 👊#LIVBUR | #UTC | @eToro

— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 21, 2021

07:01 PM

Liverpool team news

Here it is...

Your #LIVBUR starting line-up 🔴🗞️

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 21, 2021

06:55 PM

Patience required for Liverpool?

While, at first glance, a match against the team 17th in the table might seem like exactly what Liverpool need at the moment, Burnley will arrive at Anfield looking to frustrate them.

After three draws, a defeat and a win in their last five Premier League fixtures, the reigning champions are in a bit of a slump. While their 7-0 win against Crystal Palace in mid-December seemed to signal a return to their expansive best, Liverpool have scored only one league goal since then.

Industrious, compact and used to spending long spells out of possession, Burnley are an attacker's nightmare. It's no coincidence that their last four fixtures have ended 1-0, though three of those have been narrow defeats for Sean Dyche's side.

Liverpool desperately need a win this evening and, if they give a good account of themselves, they should get one. They may need to be patient, however, and their finishing will have to be much improved.

Asked to assess the challenge posed by Burnley in his pre-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp said: "When you look at the goal difference, I think it's nine [goals for and] 22 [goals against]. That means obviously they didn't score a lot of goals but they don't concede a lot as well.

"So that just shows us how tough the game will be, but it was always like this against Burnley: a proper fight, second-ball fight, defending the channel balls, defending the intensity – Burnley puts in a specific intensity – and all these kinds of things.

"They play a specific way and I really respect that. They do it for years and Sean is always able to squeeze really good performances out of the squad, even when it's not the biggest squad in the world and of course if they have injuries that hurts them maybe even more than other teams.

"But that's the situation, they know that [and] they deal with it very well and we have to face it."

Dyche, meanwhile, played down Liverpool's recent difficulties in front of goal. "Struggling in their world is slightly different to our world," he said. "When they are really on it they can find goals from different places.

"I am not overthinking the fact that they are maybe not as free-flowing, because they are still winning and getting points. We have to be on top of ourselves and our performance."