LONDON (AFP) – Liverpool returned to the Premier League summit with a hard-fought 3-1 win against relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday night after champions Manchester City briefly replaced them at the top.
The Anfield side are hunting a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge but once again have relentless City snapping at their heels.
Liverpool were not at their fluent best against Vincent Kompany’s men but did enough to get over the line on what Klopp called a “super difficult” day.
City, who had earlier beaten Everton 2-0, are two points behind Liverpool with a game in hand as they chase an unprecedented fourth consecutive English top-flight title.
The Reds were gifted the lead when Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford failed to claim the ball from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner and Diogo Jota headed home his ninth Premier League goal of the season.
But they were pegged back just before half-time when Dara O’Shea powered a bullet header past Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, replacing Alisson Becker, who was missing with an illness.
Liverpool, playing in front of a record league crowd at Anfield of nearly 60,000 after a ground expansion, were a different proposition after the break and got their reward when Luis Diaz headed them back in front in the 52nd minute.
The visitors had several inviting chances to equalise before Darwin Nunez’s header from Harvey Elliott’s cross secured the vital win.
“It’s not only the three points,” Klopp told the BBC. “You cannot have momentum guaranteed all the time.
“Nine days ago we played incredible against Chelsea then we lost to Arsenal. It’s always a different challenge. If it’s not clicking straight away, fight through it.
“It was really tough today but the boys fought through and got three points.”
Earlier, Erling Haaland scored his first goals since November as Manchester City topped the table for the first time since November.
Pep Guardiola’s team laboured to break down the stubborn visitors at a nervous Etihad Stadium but Haaland struck twice late in the second half.
They are his first goals since returning from an absence of nearly two months due to a foot injury.
Guardiola’s men have won their past 10 games in all competitions but the Spaniard might be a little concerned with the way they laboured against struggling Everton, who remain in the relegation zone.
“In the first half our body language was not good,” said the City boss. “You cannot play good football if you are not positive. You do your best when you are positive. When you start to complain and are sad it does not work.
“We talked at half time and I told them, ‘what do you expect, to come here and win 5-0? Come on. Life is tough and football is tough’.”
As of press time, Liverpool are top with 54 points, followed by City (52). Arsenal sit third with 49 points, but could level with City at 52 if they win against West Ham tonight.
