Game Week 22 Predictions: Liverpool to beat Burnley

Liverpool vs Burnley preview: Anfield clash sees in-form Reds host struggling Clarets; Salah/Isak absent, Ekitike leads line; Liverpool win verdict.

Liverpool will hope to move closer to the top three with a win over Burnley, can the Clarets spring surprises? (Photo credit: @LFC)

 Liverpool vs Burnley

Anfield Stadium

4:00pm

We’re spoilt for choice on Saturday with exciting fixtures going on by 4pm African time. Chelsea will host Brentford, and Sunderland will take on Crystal Palace at the same time, and then this one at Anfield too.

Burnley sits in 19th on the log, eight points off safety, and with the league in the second half already, the signs are ominous for the Clarets. A win for them here closes the gap a bit, but, beyond the euphoria of victory, it gives confidence to the squad ahead of their next set of games.

Liverpool is in a good place. They have healed from their form dip, and despite not having Alexander Isak and Mohammed Salah to call on, the Kops have managed to steer their ship into the top four, and now, they’re aiming higher.

The title is certainly off the table for Liverpool. Fourteen points at this stage is too much of a gap to chase. Arsenal looks like what Liverpool was last season, grinding out results even when they don’t necessarily play well. Liverpool can only hope for Champions League football at this stage.

Burnley made life difficult for Liverpool in the reverse fixture. It came at a time Liverpool was stringing diabolical late goals together to earn wins; what followed that was a hell of a winless run, but the late Mohammed Salah penalty was enough to earn Liverpool the points at Turf Moor.

How did the penalty happen? Hannibal handled in the area with just a few minutes left on the clock; the Clarets were headed for a precious point in that game, and it wasn’t the only game in which they had made silly mistakes. Errors like that have characterised their season; they must cut them out completely.

Burnley’s AFCON contingent are all back to the club after their respective nations crashed out of the tournament in Morocco, so quite a number of players are available for Scott Parker to pick from. Zack Amdouni is the only certain absentee, as he’s recovering from his ACL issues.

For Liverpool, Connor Bradley has had surgery and will start his healing process. Salah is still in Morocco with Egypt, while Isak also continues to league from his broken leg. Hugo Ekitike will lead the line after returning in the FA Cup last weekend.

This game is roundly expected to swing one way, but football knows how to confound the best of bookmakers. Burnley must be disciplined in possession and positions. If they don’t give too much away, they might have a chance, but this is Liverpool’s to lose.

Verdict: Liverpool to win.