It took until the 95th minute, but Mohamed Salah once again proved decisive as Liverpool edged past 10-man Burnley 1-0 to return to the Premier League summit.
The champions looked short of invention for much of Sunday’s clash at Turf Moor, with Arne Slot’s decision to omit record signing Alexander Isak from the squad leaving his side blunt against a resolute Burnley defence.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Federico Chiesa went close before Lesley Ugochukwu’s dismissal, the midfielder shown a second yellow card for a rash challenge on Fabian Wirtz. Yet Burnley continued to hold firm until stoppage time, when Jeremie Frimpong’s cross struck the outstretched arm of Hannibal Mejbri. Salah stepped up, and with trademark composure, drilled the spot-kick beyond James Trafford.
The win maintained Liverpool’s flawless start — four wins from four — making this only the third time in their history they have opened a league campaign with such a streak. It also extended their remarkable scoring run to a full year without drawing a blank in the top flight.
For Salah, the penalty carried added significance. It was his 188th Premier League goal, moving him clear of Andrew Cole into fourth on the all-time scorers’ list, and strikingly, his first ever match-winning goal in the 90th minute or later.
Liverpool, though far from their fluid best, once again showed the resilience of champions — grinding out victories even when inspiration is scarce.
