England – Liverpool tossed by the wind but winner at Burnley (0-1)

“I don’t believe in the title anymore” and yet Jürgen Klopp must make up his mind. His men are not ready to let go of their title hopes this season. Sunday, at Turf Moor, the Reds did not deliver the best performance of their season but they did the job thanks to a Fabinho, in surface fox (40th). In very English conditions, Klopp’s men are perhaps less flamboyant than those of Manchester City and still nine points behind the Citizens, but in the Premier League, nothing is ever decided in advance.

Surrender is not in the DNA of the Reds and a victory in the late game against Leeds and especially during the return against City can mathematically bring them back to three points from this first place. So why deprive yourself of it, especially when the squad is full again? Three days after Mohamed Salah’s return against Leicester, Sadio Mané also postponed the Liverpool jersey after his CAN coronation. With the Senegalese and the Egyptian alongside Roberto Firmino, the magic trio is finally recomposed. But the score was far from the talent of these three players, only starters together for the 4th time this season.

La belle serie by Fabinho

Borrowed after their long African journey, Salah and Mané clearly do not have the canes and the Burnley defense did not complain. Diogo Jota left on the bench due to a crutch after his brace against Leicester, Liverpool struggled to come out on the attack against the Clarets. It is also the last in the Premier League who most quickly took the measure of the rain and the strong wind to rely on their two control towers, Jay Rodriguez and Weghorst. Without an Alisson closer and closer to his best level, Maxwel Cornet’s teammates would certainly have no regrets at the end of this match.

Aware that they were not having a great day, the Reds therefore hunkered down so as not to disperse and show a spirit that could have cost them dearly. No, Liverpool know they have a weapon with set pieces and now know how to use it with a new providential man. Not Virgil van Dijk or the two full-backs Robertson and Alexander-Arnold but Fabinho.

The former Monegasque midfielder has found a real passion for the opposing goal since the start of 2022. By playing the foxes on a corner just before the break (40th), the Brazilian brings his number of goals to four on the last five games. Salah and Mané have been taking the spotlight for months but the real strength of Liverpool is above all its collective. This difficult victory against the red lantern proved it again.