After edging a narrow 1–0 win at Turf Moor earlier this season thanks to a late Mohamed Salah penalty, Liverpool will host lowly Burnley at Anfield for the first time since the 2023–24 campaign on Saturday, aiming for a far more convincing performance than in their aforementioned meeting.
This contest presents a prime opportunity for the Reds to extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches, with Liverpool showing improved form after a dreadful stretch of losses, while Burnley continue to languish in the bottom three with relegation likely looming.
Granted, the current unbeaten run has been marked by several draws and close games, meaning the boss will likely feel he'll need to deliver a commanding home performance to prove this stretch is no fluke—especially with "Slot out" voices eager to seize on any slip-up as justification to replace the Premier League winner with the newly unemployed Xabi Alonso.
As someone who remains pro-Slot, beyond a comprehensive performance against a far weaker opponent, what else should fans be looking for the team to execute in Saturday’s clash?
1. Jeremie Frimpong continuing to run riot on the right
How great has it been to have Jeremie Frimpong return from injury?
Since re-emerging from a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the former Bayer Leverkusen star has come back with a vengeance—delivering a cross that led to a goal against Spurs, registering an assist versus Wolves, and recently scoring for the first time since August with a sublime goal against Barnsley.
Arne Slot will have gaps to fill on the right against Burnley, with Conor Bradley sidelined by a devastating injury suffered against Arsenal and Mohamed Salah unavailable as Egypt contests AFCON’s third-place match.
As a result, whether used at full-back or on the wing, deploying Frimpong on Saturday feels like a no-brainer.
There’s also reason to believe Frimpong can hurt the Clarets again. In just a four-minute cameo in the reverse fixture, the pacey Dutchman looked more dangerous than many of the starters did over the course of the match, and his clever flick in injury time won the decisive penalty that Salah converted.
Additionally, while the eternally rapid Kyle Walker may have been able to cope with Frimpong’s pace, Burnley left-back Quilindschy Hartman may find that task far more difficult.
Whether it’s been Dominik Szoboszlai, Florian Wirtz, or Frimpong, the ability to play all over the pitch effectively has been a hallmark of Arne Slot’s best players this season; expect Frimpong to continue that trend on Saturday.
2. Giving Rio the nod on the left
With Cody Gakpo logging 89 and 90 minutes in his last two Premier League games, perhaps it’s time for Arne Slot to give his preferred left winger a rest and allow youngster Rio Ngumoha to earn a spot in the starting XI against a team Liverpool shouldn’t need their strongest lineup to beat.
He may have not recorded a goal contribution against Barnsley, but the 17-year-old completely outshone his senior wing counterpart, Federico Chiesa, completing the most dribbles on the team and consistently threatening with purposeful runs toward the penalty area.
Additionally, much like Frimpong’s impactful cameo against Burnley last time out, Ngumoha—a similarly pacey and probing winger—was subbed on alongside Jeremie at Turf Moor and immediately made an impact: he created a chance, completed three touches in the box, and went 5/5 on passes. It’s exciting to imagine what he could do with starter’s minutes.
In a season where Liverpool have often lacked conviction in their opponents' halves, Rio has provided attacking flair far beyond his years.
With Burnley having conceded the second-most goals in the league, a single moment of brilliance from the youngster could prove decisive.
I understand the hesitation to give such a young talent heavy playing time, especially after he cramped up around the 75th minute in the last FA Cup match. However, with a return to Champions League action next week and tricky Premier League fixtures against Newcastle and Manchester City on the horizon, it makes sense to make some rotational adjustments—like giving Rio a start on Saturday.
3. Alexis Mac Allister finally delivering a commanding performance
Perhaps I’m being a bit harsh on a key player from last year’s title run—it’s also natural for fans to single someone out over the course of a season—but to me, Alexis Mac Allister’s drop in form this year has been striking.
Although he officially recorded two assists against Barnsley, those numbers feel misleading—neither Dominik Szoboszlai’s nor Jeremie Frimpong’s thunderbolt finishes required particularly brilliant passes. Outside of those moments, the Argentine put in a bland performance against the League One side.
It’s fair to expect fewer goal contributions from Mac Allister, given that Szoboszlai and Wirtz have carried the attacking mantle higher up the pitch.
Still, it’s been discouraging to see him go 17 Premier League starts without a goal and just two assists—especially as Ryan Gravenberch has easily surpassed those numbers while also playing further back in midfield.
Another criticism of the Argentine I've had this season has been how easily he goes down in 50/50 challenges.
With Burnley winning the second-fewest duels in the league, Saturday’s opponents aren’t particularly strong physically—making this an ideal match for Mac Allister to reassert himself.
Yes, Macca’s role has shifted slightly this season, but in a crowded midfield with the likes of Curtis Jones also vying for minutes, if the World Cup winner starts on Saturday, I’d love to see him finally take control of a game and deliver the kind of performance fans came to expect in 2024–25.