To many, it was considered a shock. But for Liverpool fans, it was an all too familiar sight.
The reputation the Reds have gained from rocking up against the big boys and failing to back it up against the minnows has been one they would have been looking to shake on the weekend. They would have been keen to show things will be different this season and send a real message of intent to their rivals.
Despite having 81% of the possession at Turf Moor on Saturday, Liverpool couldn’t break down a well organised Burnley and ultimately were 2-0 losers. The critics were proven right.
No game is easy in the Premier League. That has been proven for a number of years now and for some reason, Liverpool appears to be one of the best teams in the competition for proving it.
It’s no real mystery why Liverpool is stronger against the top sides in the league. Liverpool like to play football, but the lower ranked sides in the league simply do not allow them to do that. If you sit deep against the Reds then you give yourself a chance to come away with something.
It’s slightly strange that Liverpool cannot break down teams that sit deep. You look at the players in the squad and they are all creative and can score goals. However, they time and time again struggle to do so against the likes of Burnley.
It’s easy to sit and dwell on the weekend, but if you are associated with Liverpool one way or another then you have to move on. That’s what the best teams do, and if Liverpool wants to show it is one of the better teams in the competition then a positive response is needed at White Hart Lane this Saturday.
Tottenham has proven that it is a very well balanced side that can cause some serious damage. Last season Spurs very much took everyone by surprise and gave the title a real go until they fell away at the end which saw them finish in third place.
One wouldn’t associate this Spurs side with world class players, but they have the ingredients in their squad to be a successful team.
The fact they are one of the better sides in the Premier League should actually give Liverpool the confidence it needs to go and get the three points this weekend, but it won’t be an easy task for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
Tottenham is coming off an acceptable draw at Everton and a solid win against Crystal Palace.
If the Reds are to cause Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs troubles this weekend then they need to find that attacking performance they produced against Arsenal on the opening weekend, but ultimately defend better.
Shipping five goals in two games in the league is simply not the standard for a top four side. With the likes of Harry Kane and co, Liverpool will have a real challenge trying to keep a clean sheet.
Also, they have to out-press Pochettino’s Spurs. It’ll be an interesting battle watching two very active sides try and press each other high up the pitch. The result could be determined by who can press for longer and harder.
There potentially could be some changes for Liverpool this weekend. One would expect to see Emre Can come into central midfield to pair up with Jordan Henderson. The Reds have really lacked a midfield in the opening two games and need more physicality in there – Can gives them that. Also, he provides that protection that the back four desperately need and it allows Henderson to be that box-to-box player that he naturally is. Only potential issue with Can returning is the injury he picked up against Burton Albion in a midweek league cup game.
Despite Daniel Sturridge scoring two goals in the 5-0 win against Burton Albion, Divock Origi may be better suited for this game. He comes across as more of a Klopp type player and has a bit of confidence at the minute. Although, his fitness is questionable after being forced off the pitch against Burton Albion as well.
As for Spurs, why change a winning formula? They seem to have found an XI that knows how to win games on a consistent basis; the Reds, on the other hand, are still searching.
Tottenham can certainly expose Liverpool this weekend, yet the same could be said in reverse. It comes across as one of those fifty-fifty games and either side could take the chocolates.
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