Burnley players celebrate Marcus Edwards equaliser against Liverpool. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Burnley players celebrate Marcus Edwards equaliser against Liverpool. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
Give Burnley fans a side that fights until the bitter end and they’ll back you every step of the way.
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'We stood up': Scott Parker's verdict on Burnley's resolute display in draw agai...](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/we-stood-up-scott-parkers-verdict-on-burnleys-resolute-display-in-draw-against-liverpool-5479646 "'We stood up': Scott Parker's verdict on Burnley's resolute display in draw against Liverpool")
That was proven by the heartwarming post-match scenes at Anfield on Saturday, where the travelling faithful were fully appreciative of Burnley’s tireless efforts.
Even prior to that, when you saw the substitutes spill out onto the pitch to greet Marcus Edwards’ clinical equaliser, you’d have thought the Clarets were in a title race such was the jubilation that greeted the goal.
But this means something and they’re very much alive.
Given results elsewhere this weekend, this scoreline – as impressive as it was away at Anfield – does little for Burnley’s survival chances.
But continue to perform like this until the end of the season – win, lose or draw – and they’ll receive full backing from the terraces.
This showed there’s plenty of life left in the old dog. If Burnley are to go down, they’re going down with a fight.
Maruc Edwards scores Burnley's equaliser at Anfield and his first of the season. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Maruc Edwards scores Burnley's equaliser at Anfield and his first of the season. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
That wasn’t the case at Brighton a couple of weeks ago, where Scott Parker questioned the belief and character of his players after they went down to a damaging defeat with a whimper.
Since then, they’ve bounced back with back-to-back draws in the Premier League against Manchester United and Liverpool respectively. Not bad.
Now I know what the more critical of you are thinking right now, draws aren’t going to cut the mustard when wins are the order of the day – and you’d be right.
But the Clarets are heading in the right direction. They’re competitive. They’re scrapping. They’re fighting for their lives. It might not be enough, but at least they’re not giving up.
Marcus Edwards celebrates his equaliser against Liverpool at Anfield. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Marcus Edwards celebrates his equaliser against Liverpool at Anfield. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
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Of course it’s easy to manipulate statistics to suit your argument. It’s now 13 league games without a win for the Clarets, which remains a dreadful record, there’s no getting around it.
But since overcoming that seven-game losing run, Parker’s side have suffered just two defeats in league and cup in the subsequent seven. It’s something, it’s an improvement.
To continue the theme of facts and figures, Liverpool produced 32 shots on the Burnley goal on Saturday. Last time out, Man Utd managed 30.
Lyle Foster, Hannibal, Loum Tchaouna and Martin Dubravka thank the fans following the 1-1 draw at Anfield against Liverpool. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Lyle Foster, Hannibal, Loum Tchaouna and Martin Dubravka thank the fans following the 1-1 draw at Anfield against Liverpool. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
Arne Slot’s side dominated possession, as one would expect, but 73 per cent is some margin. But of the 32 attempts on goal, 12 came from outside of the box, many of them hit and hope.
While they found Martin Dubravka in inspired form in between the sticks, it’s not like the Redmen missed a stack of gilt-edged chances.
Nevertheless, the Clarets deserve huge credit for the way they defended their box, often putting their bodies on the line, producing goalline clearances and blocks to protect their goal like their lives depended on it.
Offensively, Burnley inevitably lacked a little something, especially during the first-half where they stood off Liverpool a little bit too much and showed them too much respect.
While yes, this is technically the reigning champions we’re speaking about, this isn’t the same Liverpool side that lifted the trophy half a year ago.
While they’re still a very good outfit, now unbeaten in their last 12, you could see just how vulnerable they looked when Burnley stuck it on them, especially on the transition where there were acres of space to exploit.
But still, to come away with a point is an excellent result for Burnley. To do so with just one shot on target suggests this was smash and grab, and perhaps it was, but you also felt they were fully worthy of it too.
They dug in, they saw out periods of Liverpool pressure and, when their big chance came, they stuck it away with aplomb. Or more to the point, Marcus Edwards did.
Clinical
It was some finish from the winger. But it was never really in doubt, was it?
That might seem like an odd statement to make for someone scoring their first goal of the season and their first at any point in the Premier League. But when Florentino Luis calmly picked him out in space, you just knew the end result would be the ball flying past Alisson and into the far corner.
It inevitably begs the question why supporters have had to wait so long to see Edwards in a starting role this season, and perhaps that will be something Parker looks back on with regret once it’s all said and done.
The 27-year-old brings something different to Burnley’s forward line. He keeps opposition defenders on their toes and gives them something to think about. He’s unpredictable.
Yes there are times where he’ll lose the ball, but that’s because he’s the one player who is willing to take a risk in order to make something happen.
Defensively, meanwhile, you could tell he was reluctant to track back and help out Kyle Walker, who had his hands full with Cody Gakpo and the adventurous Milos Kerkez. But he stuck to his task and didn’t shirk his responsibilities, reluctant or not.
Over on the other side, Jaidon Anthony looks a newborn player after returning to form with two goals in as many games, resulting in his start at Anfield. Florentino, while unlucky to give away the penalty, was excellent in midfield, setting up the goal and breaking up play expertly.
Bashir Humphreys also cleared not one, but two chances off the line, continuing his fine form since returning to the side from his spell out injured.
Looking ahead, Burnley must capitalise on this now and put a beleaguered and flaky Tottenham side to the sword next week, put that winless run to bed for good and have a right good go at things until the end of the season.
Manage that and the fans will forgive all manner of sins.
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