Liverpool 1, Burnley 1: First Thoughts

Liverpool 1 Salah 30’ Burnley 1 Arfield 26’

• PRE-MATCH: No Mané, as expected, and some major shake-ups to the starting XI. Out go Lovren, Moreno, Henderson, Wijnaldum, and Karius. In their places are Klavan, Robertson, Milner, Coutinho, and Mignolet. One player who does not get a break is Joel Matip, who is likely headed for an involuntary break if he keeps playing the full 90 minutes, two days a week.
• Ragnar Klavan gets into a clash in front of Liverpool’s goal. Play is stopped as Klavan and Chris Wood are assessed. Both seem fine, though Liverpool will be in some serious trouble if Klavan is injured.
• Coutinho looking like Coutinho again in the opening minutes of this game. Liverpool have looked dangerous, but no breakthrough yet.
• Alexander-Arnold doing a lot of work on the wing, pressing, regaining possession, sending some good crosses into the box, and even getting a cheeky shot off in the first 15 minutes.
• At the 18 minute mark, we see Coutinho attempt his first long range, right-footed effort of the season. Liverpool are cranking up the pressure here in the way they did last season, when the attackers would probe and probe in the first 15-20 minutes before finally making the opposition pay. Hopefully we see that here.
• Goal - Arfield 26’ - I don’t know how many more ways I can think of to say that our defense isn’t very good. Burnley create a goal from literally nothing after a long period of Liverpool dominance.
• GOAL! - Salah 30’ - Liverpool react quickly, with Mo Salah producing another goal in his excellent debut season. He controlled an over the top pass from Emre Can, takes a touch and slots it home with his left foot.
• It’s been all Liverpool since Salah’s goal. The Reds are attacking the Burnley goal, but so far without success. This tells me that Burnley must be about a minute away from scoring their second.
• Coutinho plays in Sturridge, but Sturridge hits the side netting, getting me momentarily excited.
• HALFTIME: Liverpool doing that “everything but scoring” thing they like to do that inevitably leads to the opposition sneaking a victory with their one shot on target. Let’s hope they can make a few of these chances count in the second half.
• The second half begins with Sturridge making a solo run into Burnley’s half and getting a shot off, an attempt to dink it over the keeper that sails over the net instead.
• Coutinho has two high, long range efforts in the first five minutes. Welcome back, Phil.
• This is frustrating. So much possession with so little reward. We’re really missing Mané’s creativity out there today.
• Surely we see some changes after 70+ minutes without finding the match winner. Right? Surely? No? Bueller?
• Firmino and Coutinho make way for Oxlade-Chamberlain and Solanke in the 78th minute.
• Liverpool’s defense isn’t very good.
• Liverpool have a penalty waved away, and the rebound by Solanke hits the crossbar. I feel like I’m in some sort of Liverpool time loop and it never ends. This is the only game of football that has ever been played. I’ve been writing this First Thoughts post since the beginning of time. All I will ever do is write this First Thoughts post, again and again, in perpetuity.
• FINAL: Deep long sigh.

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.