Liverpool walked into Turf Moor on Sunday knowing Burnley would build a human wall out of ten men behind the ball, and that’s exactly what happened. The hosts made 168 passes, completed only 81, and created just 0.13 expected goals. Translate: you would go and watch Burnley play eight more games like these, and you would not even see one good chance. However, inexplicably, this match had been level at 0-0 in the 95 th minute.
Then Mohamed Salah, grinning like he had penned the play himself, went up to strike a penalty home with a handball by Burnley. After one kick, one victory, one sigh of relief. Lucky? Sure. Deserved? Absolutely.
Liverpool dominate the numbers
For anyone who thinks football is only about vibes, the stats beg to differ. Liverpool piled up 2.5 expected goals, rattled Burnley’s defensive bunker all afternoon, and still needed divine intervention from Salah at the death. On a different day it is a stroll of 3-0. Rather it was like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube that was almost empty.
Liverpool and the new faces
Salah wasn’t shy about pointing out that several new starters are still adapting. That’s code for: give them time before you sharpen your pitchforks. Chemistry takes work, and Liverpool are still unbeaten with four wins in four. Ugly wins are still wins, and if this is the awkward phase, imagine the polished version.
Author’s opinion: patience is underrated
The experience of Liverpool fumbling and stuttering and eventually stealing the points made me think of a jazz band that has lost its rhythm in the middle of the song. Not flawless, but exciting in its own riotous manner. My take? These scrappy wins matter more than the champagne ones. They forge character, unity, and, most importantly, headlines that scream resilience instead of collapse. Liverpool aren’t at their final form yet, but when they get there, Sunday will feel like foreshadowing, not fortune.
As featured on Walkon.com
