Liverpool saw off Burnley to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season In front of a packed Anfield for the first time in 17 months.
Jurgen Klopp’s men followed up last week’s 3-0 win at Norwich with another three points, against a spirited but clearly blunt Burnley side.
Goals either side of the interval from Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane were enough as the Reds gained revenge over the team that ended their remarkable 68-game unbeaten home run the last time they visited in January.
Jota, who scored at Carrow Road last week, nodded in the opening goal on 18 minutes before Mane doubled the lead in the second-half to inflict another defeat on Sean Dyche’s side, who have begun the campaign with back-to-back defeats.
The opener did not deter Burnley, though, with Dwight McNeil particularly lively down the wing for Dyche’s side. But they breathed a sigh of relief eight minutes after Jota’s opener when Mohammed Salah tucked home, only for VAR to correctly rule it out for offside.
Salah almost made it 2-0 just before the hour mark but his low effort was blocked by McNeil, before Pope kept out Mane’s drive inside the box.
But the Senegalese was not to be denied a second time, though, after he capitalised on a defensive mistake, to fire home the second and ending any hope of a Burnley comeback.
Liverpool are next in action against Chelsea next Saturday in the Premier League on home soil. Burnley face Newcastle United next week in the second round of the EFL Cup on the road.
