Liverpool move into top four with Burnley win

Liverpool are one win away from sealing their place in next season’s Champions League after an excellent 3-0 victory over Burnley in their penultimate game of the season. After all the trials and tribulations of this arduous campaign, the Reds have peaked at the right time and are finally the masters of their own fate. Leicester City’s defeat against Chelsea on Tuesday meant that three points for Liverpool at Turf Moor would send them into the top four for the first time since the 14th of February.

Buoyed by Alisson’s heroics from the previous match against West Brom, Liverpool started the game on the front foot. The Reds enjoyed plenty of possession in Burnley territory and created some golden opportunities to put themselves in front inside the first half an hour. Sadio Mane mistimed his shot from close range while both Thiago and Mohammed Salah missed one-on-one opportunities against debutant Will Norris in goal.

As the chances continued to be squandered, the nerves began to creep in on the Liverpool touchline with Burnley growing in confidence in front of their own fans and creating some opportunities of their own. Jurgen Klopp’s men were finally rewarded for their efforts on the stroke of half-time after some great interplay between Andrew Robertson and Sadio Mane on the by-line before Roberto Firmino’s shot squirmed into the net. The Reds then doubled their advantage seven minutes into the second half with a bullet header from centre-back Nat Phillips who scored his first goal for the club.

Phillips proved to be the unlikely hero for Liverpool on the night at both ends and made a stunning goal-line clearance from Ben Mee’s header that kept Liverpool’s advantage and prevented any last-minute jitters. In the end, it proved to be a routine victory as Alex Oxlade Chamberlain wrapped up the three points in the dying moments with a stunning drive into the near post to make it 3-0 on his comeback from injury.

It wasn’t the most clinical of performances from Liverpool but more importantly, they got the job done and secured all three points. Liverpool have found form at the right time this season – winning seven of their last nine league games – and now a place in next season’s Champions League is just a stone throw away. Crystal Palace awaits Liverpool on the final day of the season where Liverpool will be backed by 10,000 supporters at Anfield as they look to salvage their season with one final victory.