Match data from WhoScored, except average position from the SofaScore app.
I'm still not sure if that was a good attacking performance.
Which is weird, because Liverpool took 23 shots and had six clear-cut chances and scored four goals. Those are all good things! Mané both created and scored, Firmino scored, and Salah took more shots and created more chances than in any match since Bournemouth a month ago.
23 shots is Liverpool's most since taking 36 (!!!) in the 3-1 win over United back in December. And that's especially heartening considering the dearth of shots against Leicester, West Ham, United, and Everton over the last five weeks, although three of those four were away from home.
But ten of those 23 were blocked by Burnley defenders. Eight were off-target. Ten came from outside the box. Only one on-target shot didn't result in a goal: Salah in the 88th minute. It's not terrible accuracy, but it ain't great accuracy either.
More importantly, only three of those six clear-cut chances were created by Liverpool players: Robertson's cross for Wijnaldum's header in the 67th minute, Alexander-Arnold's low cross which Mané slammed into the crossbar, and Sturridge's assist for Mané's second goal deep into added time. The other three came off of Burnley players: Taylor's tackles on Salah falling for Mané and Firmino, Firmino's tap-in after both Tarkowski and Mee muffed Salah's byline pass.
Those, to be fair, were Liverpool's best three chances of the match. Those were Liverpool's first three goals. And they very much depended on a fortunate bounce of the ball, no matter Salah's good work in the build-up for the first or Lallana's pressing to start the second.
But, like Palace, like Bournemouth, like Watford, Liverpool have won yet another game while scoring bunches of goals at Anfield, even if I'm still not sure about the overall level of competence. Liverpool were better able to turn possession dominance into efforts at goal, Liverpool were better able to press the opposition in the opposition's half, Liverpool turned shots into goals.
And that's a good sign. Maybe that's almost something of a turning point. Liverpool struggled with deep defenders and blocked shots at both United and Everton, to say nothing of a handful of matches which came before. Liverpool still got shots on Sunday, still got clear-cut chances on Sunday – where they didn't against either United or Everton – and still got goals.
But the home versus away disparity remains stark as stark can be.
Liverpool's last eight home matches over the last three months? Three, four, five, four, one, three, five, and four goals scored. An average of 3.63 goals scored per game.
Liverpool's last six away matches over the last three months? Two, one, one, one, zero, and zero goals scored. An average of 0.83 goals scored per game.
On a related note, I certainly ain't worried about Burnley's goals. The first never should have stood, and Westwood would struggle to replicate it even with Alisson being fouled. The second was a gift, Liverpool shut off in injury time when up by two, and Burnley still needing a fortunate deflection of their own from Keïta's tackle. It is just the second time that Liverpool have allowed two or more goals in a league match at Anfield, after 4-3 Palace two months ago.
Liverpool have conceded nine goals in 15 home games, eight goals in 15 away games. They've nine clean sheets at home and eight clean sheets away.
The venue doesn't really matter for Liverpool's defense, the two goals conceded on Sunday not withstanding. It seems to very much matter for the attack. No matter whether Salah or Firmino are the striker, whether Liverpool play 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, whether Liverpool are reliant on crosses or get help from the midfield.
Liverpool have had similar amounts of possession in pretty much all of these last 14 matches, the loss at City and romp over Arsenal the only real exceptions. It's where the possession's taken place: Liverpool remain far more active in the opposition half at Anfield, both in threading moves together, finding attackers with long passes out of defense, and, yes, an ability to press, this time led by Adam Lallana. They haven't gotten those chances away from home, for all the reasons above. Or not doing the things listed above. Both the way the opposition's played and how Liverpool has – and, I'm assuming, the opposition's comfort level on their own ground.
Liverpool have four matches away and four matches at home left. Fulham, Southampton, Cardiff, and Newcastle – sides that Liverpool scored two, three, four, and four against at Anfield. The home slate is harder over the next two months – Tottenham and Chelsea, as well as Wolves – but I suspect the away matches will be more decisive.
Beginning first with Bayern in the Champions League, then in London against Fulham on Sunday.
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