Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Burnley at Anfield on January 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)placeholder image
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Burnley at Anfield on January 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Liverpool were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw against Burnley in the Premier League as they dropped more points.
Florian Wirtz created himself a yard of space, got his head up and picked out a red shirt. The Liverpool team-mate that the attacking midfielder spotted in a decent position was Hugo Ekitike. However, the striker’s control was poor, and Burnley cleared the danger.
Despite it being only the 13th minute, Arne Slot turned around in his technical area and clenched his hands in frustration. The Liverpool boss knew this was an opportunity. A chance for the Reds to land an early blow and put themselves firmly in the driving seat.
Given that Liverpool have scarcely scored in the first half of games this season, never mind the opening 15 minutes, it was a window. Had Ekitike applied a better touch, he could well have found himself with the opportunity to score. Not only that, but it would have meant Clarets boss Scott Parker having to rip up his pre-match preparation. An early goal would have forced Burnley to be more adventurous, thus creating more space for Liverpool to exploit.
It is harsh to point the finger at Ekitike alone. Ten minutes earlier, Milos Kerkez had broken into the box after playing a neat one-two with Dominik Szoboszlai. Instead of going for goal from an acute angle, he tried to pick out Curtis Jones for a tap-in, only for Burnley’s Lucas Pires to make an important clearance.
The Reds had enough of the ball to capitalise after both of those moments. They were even awarded a penalty that might not have been given on another afternoon. Yet Dominik Szoboszlai hammered his effort against the crossbar, while Jeremie Frimpong, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz were unable to find the back of the net. When Wirtz rifled home the opening goal in the 42nd minute, it was nothing short of deserved.
But Parker would have known that if Liverpool failed to double their advantage, at a minimum, Burnley were always going to be capable of finding a way back. That has been the Reds’ story all campaign. Even against League One outfit Barnsley, Slot’s men were vulnerable. As Frimpong lashed over a shot and Gakpo had an effort denied on the goal line in the second half, trepidation started to spread around Anfield. They have seen this plenty of times in 2025–26. When Marcus Edwards equalised for the Clarets, it was scarcely a surprise.
Despite another 32 minutes of action taking place, Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was untroubled. Liverpool’s attacks became more pedestrian, easier for Burnley to quell. It was summed up by Alexis Mac Allister lashing a long-range shot over the bar at the final whistle. Sections of fans booed. The home faithful watched Liverpool complete an unwanted hat-trick of failing to beat any of the newly promoted teams at Anfield. They also drew with Leeds United and needed a 95th-minute penalty to limp past Burnley at Turf Moor.
Ahead of the game, Slot revealed that Liverpool had been working on carving out more chances and making the most of monopolising possession. But it seems that what is uncoachable is the Reds’ ugly tendency to be unable to cope with pressure and hit the self-destruct button.
Liverpool have now dropped points in five of their 11 home games this campaign. Anfield can no longer be regarded as a near-impregnable fortress.
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