Liverpool concede first defeat at Anfield in the Premier League after 1,369 days: WATCH

Defending Premier League champions Liverpool stumbled further in the competition following a shocking defeat against Burnley. Jurgen Klopp’s men, who were neck-to-neck with Manchester United for the top spot in the league not too long ago, now find themselves dropping down to No.4 in the standings. Their defeat against Burnley shatters their invincibility at home, losing their first Premier League game in more than three seasons.

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No breakthrough in first half, Jurgen Klopp and Sean Dyche clash in tunnel 

Liverpool hosted Burnley at Anfield with the hope of cutting down the lead at the top against Man United by another three points. The Reds dominated a major part of the game, with Xherdan Shaqiri’s attempt hitting wide off the crossbar in the first half. Divock Origi had the best chance of the game, again in the first half after he went on to win the ball with no Burnley defender at the back.

Origi attempted a thunderous strike from the edge of the box but went on to hit the crossbar, in what proved fatal for the defending Premier League champions. With the half-time whistle, Klopp and Sean Dyche, Burnley's manager, were seen engaging in a heated argument, following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check for an on-field scuffle. In a post-match interaction with Sky Sports, Dyche has brushed off the conflict as 'just two managers fighting to win the game."

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Liverpool vs Burnley: Ashley Barnes strikes from the spot 

Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold attempted splendid shots in the second half but Burnley shot-stopper Nick Pope stood firm between the sticks. During the closing minutes of the game, Burnley star Ashley Barnes beat Fabinho and was clean through on goal before being brought down by Alisson Becker. The referee was quick to point at the spot. Barnes struck a calm penalty in the bottom right corner to put his side in the front.

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Liverpool unbeaten record at Anfield ends 

Despite efforts, the hosts could not bag the equaliser. The victory for Burnley meant Liverpool lost their first home game in the Premier League after 1369 days. The defending champions last lost out 2-1 to Crystal Palace, dating back to April 2017. This was their first defeat in 69 Premier League games.

Interestingly, Burnley have defeated Liverpool at home for the first time since 1974. The defeat spells trouble for Klopp’s men who now have a six-point deficit against league leaders Man United. Liverpool sit fourth in the Premier League standings and will next play Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

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Image courtesy: Liverpool Twitter