Liverpool: 4 takeaways from the 3-0 win over Burnley

Liverpool have all the momentum

Let’s take a step back from the individuals and look at the bigger picture. Even though a couple of players weren’t at their best in this game, the team was professional and played a complete game. Now, you’d expect Liverpool to have little trouble against Burnley, but expectation and reality often don’t match up in football.

Take, for example, the last-gasp win over 19th-placed West Brom on Sunday. On paper, you’d expect the Reds to make short work of the Baggies. But West Brom hung in there, Liverpool didn’t take their chances, and without Alisson’s header, this would have been a tragic example of the Reds falling short against opponents they should be beating.

Weaker sides can give the elite trouble when they sit back, defend hard, and counter intelligently. Burnley’ did those things and are capable of doing those things, but Liverpool made very few mistakes defensively and were much more clinical in front of goal than in several of their matches in 2021.

This win gives Liverpool confidence and momentum heading into their last match of the season. They know how slim the margin of error is, and you can see the fight in the players. Even players who get criticized, like Sadio Mane, are showing that they will give their absolute all. And Mane is a prime example of someone who left his shooting boots at home again but still had a positive impact on the win through sheer work ethic and willpower. And those traits can carry a team far when their backs are to the wall.