Burnley never looked like they would be able to cope with the firepower at the Reds’ disposal at Turf Moor on Saturday evening, and forward Ashley Barnes says Jurgen Klopp’s men will take some stopping this season.
So far, the Reds are the only team in the Premier League with a 100% record after four matches, and head into the international break top of the pile.
Burnley is always a tough place to go, but Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and co – despite their ‘bust-up’ – were able to stroll through the game, earning the three points.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s wayward, deflected cross had given Liverpool a first-half lead against a typically defensive Sean Dyche side, before a cool Mane finish made it 2-0 before the break. Roberto Firmino pressed in midfield and fed the ball into the path of he Senegalese, who couldn’t help but finish into the corner such is his current form.
Firmino then put gloss on the scoreline late on, but this was overshadowed by a fallout between Mane and Mo Salah, who had failed to pass to the no.10 despite Mane being in a clearly better position. A furious Mane berated his team-mate after being substituted, creating an awkward atmosphere on the bench, but you can be sure this kind of thing will be quickly quashed in a dressing room full of winners who appreciate that at times, even the most selfless of forwards fail to get their heads up.
The performance certainly impressed Barnes, who experienced playing against Jurgen Klopp’s mighty Reds first-hand.
Via the Liverpool ECHO, he said: “It was a tough afternoon for us. We had a couple of chances, and you have to take those against the top teams, or they will make you pay for it.
“You have to give them credit for how clinical they were for their second and third goals. That is what Liverpool can do to you – they punish teams because they are so quick on the counter-attack, and so good when they get a sniff of goal.
“You can see their quality all over the park, and they are still growing. They are going to take a lot of stopping.”
Newcastle United are the next team that the Reds face, and once again, three points will be required. In the title race against Manchester City, even at this stage of the campaign, every match is vital.
There is no reason to think that the 13-game winning run in the league cannot be extended.