"Deja Vu" Burnley's Mistake and Liverpool's Aura Sting

BURNLEY, SUNDAY — Ten players from the promoted team Burnley nearly managed to steal points from the defending champion Liverpool. However, that hope was shattered instantly due to the same mistake as in the previous match. Burnley has become the latest victim of Liverpool's winning aura.

Burnley only needed to hold on for two minutes to keep the visiting team at Turf Moor Stadium on Sunday (14/9/2025). However, Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri suddenly blocked the ball with his hand in the penalty area. He reflexively deflected the cross from Liverpool defender Jeremie Frimpong.

Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the penalty spot. Liverpool's star forward Mohamed Salah did not waste the opportunity. Salah executed the penalty perfectly, putting "The Reds" ahead 1-0 in the 90+5 minute. A few minutes later, the final whistle blew.

"We felt as if we were hanging our entire lives on that (to get points) today. I am proud of the players, but the match ended in a very heartbreaking way for us. That is how it is. We had to fall behind with a penalty in the final minutes," said Fulham Coach Scott Parker.

The mental resilience of Burnley has come under scrutiny. Such mistakes are not new; they have occurred in two consecutive matches. In the previous match against Manchester United, they also lost 2-3 at the end of the game due to conceding a penalty to the opposing team.

The downfall of the host began to be evident in the 84th minute. Defensive midfielder Lesley Ogochukwu received a second yellow card after fouling Florian Wirtz. Signs of panic were visible in the Burnley camp due to the continued pressure from the visiting team. After facing ten players, Liverpool became increasingly dominant.

On the other hand, the winning aura of Liverpool played a significant role. They remained calm and continued to attack during critical moments. Meanwhile, Burnley was heavily reliant on a total defensive scheme or "parking the bus." All of the home players were almost always positioned in their own final third.

Statistical records can illustrate the absolute dominance of "The Reds." Liverpool significantly outperformed with a total of 27 shots compared to 3, and ball possession was at 81 percent to 19 percent. Meanwhile, Burnley was unable to produce a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot stated that Burnley suffered towards the end of the match due to their ultra-defensive strategy. "We kept playing, continuously moving the ball. They became more and more exhausted. It is normal when you defend for 80 percent of the total time," he said.

The team utilized all of their player substitution quota, five times, to exhaust the opponent's energy. Two substitute players, Frimpong and winger Rio Ngumoha, were even brought on in the 87th minute. This substitution proved to be very effective in disrupting Burnley's concentration.

Before Frimpong converted the penalty, Liverpool had a golden opportunity just a few minutes earlier. The chance came from Ngumoha's movement on the left side and Frimpong's execution in the penalty area. Frimpong's attempt was still thwarted by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

As a result, through persistent efforts on the field and fresh ideas from the sidelines, Liverpool successfully achieved four consecutive victories at the start of this season. All victories were secured through dramatic goals at the end of the matches. This demonstrates the winning aura of "The Reds."

According to Opta, Liverpool is the first team in Premier League history to win their first four games of a season. This result puts Slot's team firmly at the top of the table. They achieved excellent results despite a performance that was far from perfect.

"It was a very difficult opponent today. We struggled, but I am proud that we managed to overcome it. We have several new starting players and need time to adapt to the playing system. We will try even harder to build their confidence," said Salah.

The most anticipated figure from Liverpool in the match earlier was striker Alexander Isak. However, the player, who broke the Premier League transfer record when brought in from Newcastle, has not been included in the squad. His condition is not yet fully fit, although he was recently called up to the Swedish national team.

According to Slot, Isak can only play for a few minutes at the end of the match if involved this weekend. "Right now, he might be ready to play at least 45 minutes. Let's see if we will use him on Wednesday or Saturday," explained the coach. (AP/REUTERS)