Burnley vs Liverpool Match Review and Player Ratings – Slot’s Substitutions, Salah’s Nerves & the Fine Margins of Survival! | OneFootball

Turf Moor was drenched in tension long before the final whistle blew, every second tightening into a knot of defiance, frustration, and inevitability. Burnley had fought with grit, with discipline, with every ounce of resolve Scott Parker could marshal. Liverpool had circled and swarmed, hammering at the claret wall but finding no door. Ninety minutes passed, the home crowd roared for the release of a point earned through blood and sweat-and then came the twist. A raised arm. A whistle piercing the night.

Mohamed Salah, silent until now, standing over destiny in the 95th minute. When the ball hit the net, the champions were triumphant again, Burnley broken again, and the Premier League script had its cruelest, sharpest turn of the week.

Burnley 0-1 Liverpool

Mohammed Salah(P) 90+5′

It took until the 95th minute for Liverpool to finally break Burnley’s resistance at Turf Moor, but champions find a way. Mohamed Salah’s late penalty, awarded after substitute Hannibal Mejbri’s handball, sealed a 1-0 win for Arne Slot’s side and preserved their perfect start to the season.

For much of the afternoon, Burnley’s defensive organisation, Scott Parker’s tactical discipline, and the tireless efforts of a five-man back line threatened to deny Liverpool. The Clarets even had moments of promise on the counter, with Jaidon Anthony flashing an early shot over, while goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka stood firm against waves of red pressure.

Yet the champions have made a habit of winning late – goals in the 88th, 100th, and now 95th minutes have kept Slot’s men top of the table. Once again, squad depth told the story. Substitutes Jeremie Frimpong, Rio Ngumoha, and Federico Chiesa injected energy and unpredictability against a tiring Burnley defence, and it was Frimpong’s cross that forced the fatal error from Mejbri.

Slot has reason to be satisfied, even without record signing Alexander Isak, who is being eased into contention. For Parker, the story is more painful. Two games in a row, his side have been denied by late penalties. In a season likely to be defined by fine margins, Turf Moor is left with another harsh Premier League lesson.

Match Summary and Tactical Review

Scott Parker entered the contest with a pragmatic blueprint. Conscious of Liverpool’s attacking variety, Burnley set up in a 5-4-1 block with central midfielder Josh Laurent dropping into defence. The priority was containment: space was denied between the lines, the midfield quartet retreated deep, and pressing was selective. With 81% possession ceded, Burnley were content to frustrate and absorb.

Liverpool, meanwhile, dictated tempo but lacked incision. Florian Wirtz, starting centrally, found little room to operate, while Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitiké struggled to connect with Salah on the right. Arne Slot’s men controlled territory but could not find rhythm; too often their attacks slowed at the edge of the Burnley area, where compact defending and last-ditch interventions from Maxime Estève and Quilindschy Hartman kept danger at bay.

The first half unfolded in a pattern: red waves, claret resistance. Ryan Gravenberch carried most of the creative burden, driving from midfield, while Robertson, introduced after Milos Kerkez’s ill-advised dive and booking, added overlapping thrust. Yet Dubravka was largely untroubled, parrying Robertson’s best opening comfortably.

Burnley even carried sporadic threat on transition. Lyle Foster offered hold-up play when possible, and Anthony’s early sighter over Alisson’s bar was their one clear look. That counter-attacking ambition, however, dwindled as the match wore on.

The second half saw Slot adjust. Conor Bradley’s introduction at right-back provided balance, allowing Szoboszlai to push higher into midfield, where his influence grew. Liverpool began to vary their approach: Gravenberch struck over, Wirtz tested angles from the edge, and Szoboszlai drew Dubravka’s best save with a rising drive. Still, a breakthrough proved elusive.

Parker’s gamble on time-wasting, compactness, and defensive resilience was almost vindicated. Debutant Florentino Luís impressed in midfield duels, while the experienced Kyle Walker marshalled Gakpo intelligently. Yet the sending off of Ugochukwu for a second booking with six minutes left tilted the balance further.

Even then, it took the bench to turn dominance into victory. Chiesa’s movement unsettled Burnley’s left, Ngumoha’s youthful urgency stretched tired legs, and Frimpong’s directness proved decisive. His 94th-minute cross was met not by a teammate but by Mejbri’s outstretched arm. Salah, subdued throughout, made no mistake from the spot – emphatic and ruthless, sealing Liverpool’s fourth successive win.

For Slot, the narrative is clear: depth at the death. For Parker, it is the cruelty of repetition – back-to-back late penalties, back-to-back missed points.

Player Ratings

Burnley

Martin Dúbravka – 6: Dealt with Liverpool’s aerial bombardment well, saved smartly from Szoboszlai, helpless for the penalty.

Kyle Walker – 5: Showed his experience, even if pace has waned. Contained Gakpo well for long spells but looked stretched late on.

Josh Laurent – 6: Adapted admirably in a makeshift defensive role, cleared danger repeatedly.

Hjalmar Ekdal – 7: Commanding in the air, disciplined in positioning.

Maxime Estève – 7: Brave and intelligent in his defending, one of Burnley’s best performers.

Quilindschy Hartman – 7: Energetic at wing-back, disciplined in structure, stuck to his role well.

Loum Tchaouna – 4.5: Peripheral, unable to impact attacking transitions.

Lesley Ugochukwu – 3.5: Booked early for a rash tackle, dismissed late on, leaving Burnley vulnerable.

Josh Cullen – 6: Industrious in midfield, tidy but unspectacular.

Jaidon Anthony – 3.5: Wasted Burnley’s best opening and offered little thereafter.

Lyle Foster – 4: Worked hard up front in isolation but rarely threatened.

Subs:

Florentino Luís (6), Broja (6), Worrall (5), Mejbri (2.5) – costly handball.

Liverpool

Alisson Becker – 6.5: Barely tested; distribution steady.

Dominik Szoboszlai – 7: Started at right-back, later advanced. His long-range strike forced Dubravka’s best save.

Ibrahima Konaté – 7.5: Strong in aerial duels, alert to Burnley’s rare breaks.

Virgil van Dijk – 7: One early lapse aside, composed and authoritative.

Milos Kerkez – 3.5: Poor judgment with dive; withdrawn to avoid dismissal.

Ryan Gravenberch – 7: Drove midfield forward, sharp and influential.

Alexis Mac Allister – 5: Loose in passing, subdued overall.

Florian Wirtz – 6.5: Grew into the game but still adapting to tempo and intensity.

Mohamed Salah – 7: Anonymous for long periods, yet decisive from the spot.

Cody Gakpo – 6: Delivery from the left showed promise, but impact limited.

Hugo Ekitiké – 6.5: Neat link-up play but little goal threat.

Subs:

Robertson (7), Bradley (6), Chiesa (6), Ngumoha (N/A), Frimpong (7 – decisive late impact).

Man of the Match

Maxime Estève (Burnley)

Although Salah struck the winner, Burnley’s young centre-back delivered an outstanding display under constant siege. Commanding in the air, calm under pressure, and disciplined throughout, he embodied Burnley’s defiance. His performance deserved more than late heartbreak.

Final Word

Another late show, another statement of intent. Liverpool’s ability to call upon depth – Frimpong, Chiesa, Ngumoha – transformed a frustrating stalemate into three priceless points. Slot’s champions are not yet firing fluently, but their resilience and options ensure momentum. With Alexander Isak readying for his debut, the champions’ arsenal is only growing stronger.

For Burnley, the narrative is cruelly familiar. Organised, resilient, but undone in stoppage time by a penalty for the second match running, Parker’s men must quickly convert brave efforts into tangible points if survival is to be secured.

At the final whistle, Turf Moor simmered with frustration, while Liverpool celebrated another late triumph. Champions bend time to their will, and once again, Arne Slot’s Liverpool proved that at the death, they are unrivalled.