Have room for a little more football after the Christmas football? Sure you do.
Jurgen Klopp has made seven changes to his starting XI at Turf Moor with the Reds playing 48 hours after their 2-1 victory over Leicester.
Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho sit it out today with Adam Lallana making his first start of the season.
Simon Mignolet replaces Loris Karius in goal, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ragnar Klavan added to the rearguard. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gini Wijnaldum were on the bench in Saturday’s victory, but line up from the off at Turf Moor.
Ben Woodburn is named in a Premier League matchday squad for just the second time this season.
Liverpool starting XI: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Klavan, Gomez, Can, Wijnaldum, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mane, Solanke Liverpool subs: Karius, Robertson, Matip, Milner, Firmino, Ings, Woodburn
Jeff Hendrick is in the centre for the home side once again meanwhile:
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Given those team changes then, how do you see this one going? Let’s have those predictions…
The teams are about to emerge to a drenched Turf Moor and we’re moments away from kick off.
And we’re off.
Let’s see if it’s Jurgen Klopp or Sean Dyche that makes a positive start to the year.
The German may be in for a long afternoon at the office, after his decision to make seven changes.
Here’s Klopp on that team selection by the way:
“Phil and Mo are not available, both injured. Not too cool but that’s how it is. We wanted the right formation and tactics for this game today. It’s good to have Lallana back, we were without him for a long period but now he’s ready to start. It’s cool for us.”
There really hasn’t been a lot of action at either end in the first 10 minutes with Liverpool probably enjoying a lot more possession but neither team has settled into it quite yet.
Big intervention from Adam Lallana! He stretched to cut out a through ball from Barnes. and it all came from a Liverpool corner.
It’s starting to open up a little now and the crowd seem to have upped the volume since that last-ditch sliding Adam Lallana tackle.
Effort on target for Burnley. Can makes a mistake and Burnley pounce with Arfield ultimately flicking a header into the keeper’s hands.
Even enough contest so far as we approach the half-hour mark.
Mane steams forward from the centre circle with the Burnley defence back pedalling in front of him.
His shot is dragged tamely wide though.
Lovren gives away a free kick maybe 40 yards out but Mignolet is concerned enough to marshal his colleagues into a wall.
The wall does its job; Gudmundsson smashes against the Liverpool players.
The pressure isn’t alleviated however with a cross causing trouble before Jeff Hendrick stretches his legs down the same right hand side and gets in another good ball.
Great touch Ben Mee! Sonlanke looked like he might find himself with a great chance but the Clarets defender gets a big foot in the way.
Arfield shoots just wide.
A typical Burnley move – a high diagonal is knocked down and the Canadian midfielder was there on the D to try to find the corner of the net.
Another big chance for the home side.
Klavan could easily have turned a dangerous ball across the goal into his own net. But the Reds defender manages to toe poke it behind, in fairness.
Burnley have had the better of the chances in his opening half.
We’ll have one minute of added time.
Half time and it’s scoreless in the three Premier League 3pmers.
The players have shuffled back out and we’re up and running again.
Liverpool corner is worked short before Wijnaldum gets a strong header on a cross but it fizzes over.
We may not have had a goal quite yet at Turf Moor but Riyad Mahrez has scored a lovely volley against Huddersfield to break the deadlock for Leicester.
Hendrick times his run to perfection and is played in behind but the linesman pings him wrongly for offside.
The Reds forward hits a screamer into the top bin.
Firmino is stripping down and will be introduced momentarily it seems. Who makes way for the Brazilian remains to be seen.
Ireland’s Jeff Hendrick is trotting off to be replaced by Sam Vokes with the home side going with two up top, you’d imagine.
And to a chorus of boos and ‘cheat, cheat’, Sadio Mane is replaced by Firmino. 20 minutes or so to go.
Mark Hughes gambled on his side getting a positive result against Newcastle today, with his much-criticised team selection against Chelsea. He looks a busted flush now as the Magpies have taken the lead.
Into the last 10 minutes and Liverpool are enjoying plenty of sterile possession as Pep would call it.
At the risk of stating the obvious, Jurgen Klopp would be a lot happier if his side could put this to bed with a second goal.
Ashley Barnes volleys just wide! A set piece is knocked around the edge of the box before the Burnley man directs it towards the far corner. That’s a let off for Liverpool and the crowd are up for this now.
Vokes knocks down a cross to the back post and the Iceland international stoops to head home. Two or three minutes left.
Four minutes of added time and it’s Liverpool in possession.
The Ox plays a deep free kick into the box, Lovren heads it goalwards and Klavan gets the final touch at the back post. Messy goal but some drama.
The Reds start with a win. But it was far from straightforward at Turf Moor.
What did you make of that?
