BURNLEY RATINGS: Will Norris - 4. The 27-year-old was making his Premier League debut for the club and will look back on the opening goal with dismay. He should have made the save. Reuters
BURNLEY RATINGS: Will Norris - 4. The 27-year-old was making his Premier League debut for the club and will look back on the opening goal with dismay. He should have made the save. Reuters
Matthew Lowton - 6. The right-back produced a number of long balls that troubled the Liverpool defence. He worked hard at both ends of the pitch. Reuters
Matthew Lowton - 6. The right-back produced a number of long balls that troubled the Liverpool defence. He worked hard at both ends of the pitch. Reuters
James Tarkowski - 6. The centre-back made a great challenge on Mane in the first half that stopped what seemed to be a certain goal. He had some good moments but was eventually overrun by Liverpool’s forwards. Reuters
James Tarkowski - 6. The centre-back made a great challenge on Mane in the first half that stopped what seemed to be a certain goal. He had some good moments but was eventually overrun by Liverpool’s forwards. Reuters
Ben Mee - 5. The 31-year-old started well with a fine challenge on Salah but things went wrong in the second half. He should have been tighter on Phillips for the second goal and was left dumbfounded by Oxlade-Chamberlain for the third. Reuters
Ben Mee - 5. The 31-year-old started well with a fine challenge on Salah but things went wrong in the second half. He should have been tighter on Phillips for the second goal and was left dumbfounded by Oxlade-Chamberlain for the third. Reuters
Charlie Taylor - 7. The left-back held his own against Salah and managed to produce some danger going forward with a couple of probing crosses into the box. Reuters
Charlie Taylor - 7. The left-back held his own against Salah and managed to produce some danger going forward with a couple of probing crosses into the box. Reuters
Josh Brownhill - 7. The 25-year-old was busy in the midfield. Quick to the second ball, he was good in possession and tested Alisson with a shot. Reuters
Josh Brownhill - 7. The 25-year-old was busy in the midfield. Quick to the second ball, he was good in possession and tested Alisson with a shot. Reuters
Jack Cork - 4. The midfielder left Firmino in space to open the scoring and showed his culpability by putting his head in his hands. He was often combative but rarely creative. Withdrawn with 14 minutes to go and replaced by Vydra. Reiters
Jack Cork - 4. The midfielder left Firmino in space to open the scoring and showed his culpability by putting his head in his hands. He was often combative but rarely creative. Withdrawn with 14 minutes to go and replaced by Vydra. Reiters
Ashley Westwood - 6. The 31-year-old sat deep in the midfield and was effective breaking up attacks and getting the ball forward quickly. He had a half-chance in the second period but was foiled by a backtracking Mane. Reuters
Ashley Westwood - 6. The 31-year-old sat deep in the midfield and was effective breaking up attacks and getting the ball forward quickly. He had a half-chance in the second period but was foiled by a backtracking Mane. Reuters
Dwight McNeil - 5. The winger got into crossing positions, especially in the early stages, but he hit the centre-backs rather than a teammate. He dropped deeper as the game went on. Reuters
Dwight McNeil - 5. The winger got into crossing positions, especially in the early stages, but he hit the centre-backs rather than a teammate. He dropped deeper as the game went on. Reuters
Johann Gudmundsson - 3. The Icelandic winger had a nightmare. He switched off when tracking Robertson before the opening goal. On Liverpool’s second, Mane crossed as if Gudmundsson wasn’t there. AFP
Johann Gudmundsson - 3. The Icelandic winger had a nightmare. He switched off when tracking Robertson before the opening goal. On Liverpool’s second, Mane crossed as if Gudmundsson wasn’t there. AFP
Chris Wood - 6. The big New Zealander led the line and held up the ball. He had one real chance but powered the ball wide. With better support he might have been more effective. Reuters
Chris Wood - 6. The big New Zealander led the line and held up the ball. He had one real chance but powered the ball wide. With better support he might have been more effective. Reuters
SUB: Matej Vydra - 5. The Czech replaced Cork in the 76th minute. He brought an extra physical presence but did little more than rough up the defence. AFP
SUB: Matej Vydra - 5. The Czech replaced Cork in the 76th minute. He brought an extra physical presence but did little more than rough up the defence. AFP
LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 6. The Brazilian was uncertain when coming off his line and he did not dominate his area as well as usual. Some of his punched clearances dropped into questionable areas but he was solid when a save was needed. AFP
LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 6. The Brazilian was uncertain when coming off his line and he did not dominate his area as well as usual. Some of his punched clearances dropped into questionable areas but he was solid when a save was needed. AFP
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7. The 22-year-old sent in his usual supply of dangerous crosses throughout. He provided vigour during the team’s slow start. He was pinned back a little in the second half but he made a solid defensive show. Reuters
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7. The 22-year-old sent in his usual supply of dangerous crosses throughout. He provided vigour during the team’s slow start. He was pinned back a little in the second half but he made a solid defensive show. Reuters
Nathaniel Phillips - 8. The inexperienced centre-back struggled initially against Wood but grew into the game. He scored a lovely header to double the lead and cleared off the line to deny Burnley a chance to get back into the match. Reuters
Nathaniel Phillips - 8. The inexperienced centre-back struggled initially against Wood but grew into the game. He scored a lovely header to double the lead and cleared off the line to deny Burnley a chance to get back into the match. Reuters
Rhys Williams - 5. The 20-year-old was vulnerable to the ball over his head and uncomfortable with Burnley’s physicality. On the plus side he was good in the air and made some solid blocks. AFP
Rhys Williams - 5. The 20-year-old was vulnerable to the ball over his head and uncomfortable with Burnley’s physicality. On the plus side he was good in the air and made some solid blocks. AFP
Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot was made to work hard at both ends of the pitch but got his reward when his cross allowed Firmino to score. He was a bit wasteful in possession. Reuters
Andrew Robertson - 6. The Scot was made to work hard at both ends of the pitch but got his reward when his cross allowed Firmino to score. He was a bit wasteful in possession. Reuters
Fabinho - 5. The Brazilian was often an onlooker as Burnley pumped the ball over his head. He looked weary and did not react to loose balls as quickly as the opposition. AFP
Fabinho - 5. The Brazilian was often an onlooker as Burnley pumped the ball over his head. He looked weary and did not react to loose balls as quickly as the opposition. AFP
Georginio Wijnaldum - 6. The Dutchman was neat in possession without ever being dangerous. He ran out of gas towards the end and was replaced by Milner with three minutes to go. EPA
Georginio Wijnaldum - 6. The Dutchman was neat in possession without ever being dangerous. He ran out of gas towards the end and was replaced by Milner with three minutes to go. EPA
Thiago Alcantara - 7. The 30-year-old was composed on the ball but could have moved possession along more quickly to stretch the defence. He missed a splendid chance after linking with Salah. Reuters
Thiago Alcantara - 7. The 30-year-old was composed on the ball but could have moved possession along more quickly to stretch the defence. He missed a splendid chance after linking with Salah. Reuters
Mohamed Salah - 7. The Egyptian squandered three scorable opportunities but was a constant menace to the defence. His movement creates space for his teammates. Reuters
Mohamed Salah - 7. The Egyptian squandered three scorable opportunities but was a constant menace to the defence. His movement creates space for his teammates. Reuters
Roberto Firmino - 7. The Brazilian ended an ordinary first half with his goal and the impact on his confidence was clear in the second period when he linked together a series of quick breaks. Taken off with nine minutes to go for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Reuters
Roberto Firmino - 7. The Brazilian ended an ordinary first half with his goal and the impact on his confidence was clear in the second period when he linked together a series of quick breaks. Taken off with nine minutes to go for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Reuters
Sadio Mane - 7. The Senegalese missed a sitter but kept working hard even when nothing was going right. He was part of the build up for the first goal and provided a precise cross for the second. Replaced deep in stoppage time by Tsimikas. Reuters
Sadio Mane - 7. The Senegalese missed a sitter but kept working hard even when nothing was going right. He was part of the build up for the first goal and provided a precise cross for the second. Replaced deep in stoppage time by Tsimikas. Reuters
SUB: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 7. Came on for Firmino in the 81st minute and made the most of his short time on the pitch. He gave a glimpse of his class by making room in the box and slamming home the third goal. EPA
SUB: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 7. Came on for Firmino in the 81st minute and made the most of his short time on the pitch. He gave a glimpse of his class by making room in the box and slamming home the third goal. EPA
SUB: James Milner - 6. Introduced to the game in the 87th minute at the expense of Wijnaldum, the 35-year-old helped see his team over the line with the minimum of fuss. EPA
SUB: James Milner - 6. Introduced to the game in the 87th minute at the expense of Wijnaldum, the 35-year-old helped see his team over the line with the minimum of fuss. EPA
SUB: Konstantinos Tsimikas - 5. The Greek replaced Mane deep into stoppage time and barely had a kick as the clock ran down. Reuters
SUB: Konstantinos Tsimikas - 5. The Greek replaced Mane deep into stoppage time and barely had a kick as the clock ran down. Reuters

Football

Burnley v Liverpool player ratings: Johann Gudmundsson 3, Will Norris 4; Nathaniel Phillips 8, Mohamed Salah 7

Firmino, Phillips and Oxlade-Chamberlain all on target in 3-0 win at Turf Moor

Tony Evans

May 20, 2021

Liverpool moved into the Champions League qualifying spots after a 3-0 win at Burnley on Wednesday took them above Leicester City and into fourth place with one round of Premier League matches remaining.

Roberto Firmino struck two minutes before half time and a Nathaniel Phillips header made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute before a superb late strike from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain secured a fourth straight win.

The victory moves Liverpool onto 66 points, ahead of fifth-placed Leicester on goal difference while Chelsea are third on 67 points.

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