Liverpool didn’t make it look easy, but they survived their “Big Sam” challenge on Sunday afternoon, defeating West Brom at The Hawthorns 2-1 after a miracle, last-gasp – and quite brilliant – header from goalkeeper Alisson.
There is no time to rest, though. The Reds will face Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night with the 2021-2022 Champions League still on the line.
Here are three keys to victory for Liverpool on Matchday 37 of the Premier League.
Liverpool must take their chances
West Brom sat back and absorbed all the pressure from Liverpool, who only managed two goals and six shots on target from 26 total shots and nearly 80 percent possession. The Reds dominated the match, but only Mohamed Salah looked sharp in front of goal among the forwards.
Things won’t get any easier against Burnley. Not only are Burnley a couple of spots higher in the table, but they are also capable of making things very ugly defensively. Burnley are a physical team, and they have two of the Premier League’s best defenders in James Tarkowski and Ben Mee.
So the Reds should be able to dominate the midfield battle again. The problem is that it will be more difficult to create high-quality chances. We know Salah, as he showed on Sunday with his 22nd goal of the season off a world-class snapshot, can score with just an inch of space. But can Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino put on their shooting boots and convert the good chances they missed over the weekend?
This match against Burnley is going to come down to the finest margins. Liverpool need their players to find the right side of the post at Turf Moor.