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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Liverpool could set a club record for consecutive wins if they beat Burnley on Saturday, but they will have to keep a certain Ashley Barnes quiet if they are to achieve that.
On the chalkboard
Jurgen Klopp’s side have, for the most part, continued where they left off last season and proven too much for their opponents in the Premier League, winning all of their games thus far.
The Clarets, though, promise to be stern competition for Liverpool and have got off to decent start themselves – only a 98th minute penalty against Wolves denying them two wins from three games.
Victory on Saturday would be Liverpool’s 13th in a row in the Premier League, stretching back to last season, but there will be concerns for Klopp despite the ease in which his side dispatched of Arsenal last weekend.
Liverpool have allowed key chances in each league game so far. They have conceded once per match and according to their expected goals against, they are fortunate to not have conceded one more during that time – a far cry from last term when they chalked up just 22 goals against.
One reason for Liverpool to be optimistic is Burnley’s home form. Since their promotion from the Championship in 2016 the Clarets’ home record has got progressively worse with six, seven and ten league defeats at home in the three seasons since.
Not all plain sailing for Liverpool
Whilst Liverpool have been typically dominant in possession so far this season and lethal going forward at times, underlined by their nine goals in three Premier League games, there is an area for concern for Klopp.
Due to the nature of his attacking style and the propensity for his full-backs to take up offensive positions, there is often space out wide.
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Barnes has four goals in three games this season and his strikes have shown why he is such a threat. From a long-range effort at Wolves to a lethal volley against Southampton, he has proved he can put away a variety of chances, and with Erik Pieters and Dwight McNeil already providing three assists from the left-hand side, they’re in the form to pounce if too much space is surrendered on the flanks.
Considering the scoring run Barnes is on, just one well-delivered ball from the flank could be enough for him to find the net and once Burnley are on the scoresheet, the prospect of beating Sean Dyche’s infamously resilient team inevitably becomes that bit harder.
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