Liverpool fans enjoyed their return to Anfield for Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley, and Jurgen Klopp’s subsequent comments ensured the focus remained on the Reds.
Discussing Burnley’s approach, Klopp said: “Watch wrestling if you like that kind of thing.”
Indeed, the Clarets’ physicality is “too dangerous”, according to the Liverpool manager.
Some of the most intriguing Opta facts from the Premier League weekend emerged from that feisty encounter, while there were predictable developments as Manchester United visited Southampton…
No reds against Reds despite ‘wrestling’ claims
The clash at Anfield was not quite WWE, but there was also limited football on display. The ball was in play for just 49 minutes and 47 seconds.
That was the second-shortest such length of time for a Liverpool league game under Klopp, longer only than the 48 minutes and 46 seconds against Watford in 2015.
The Hornets won that game 3-0, so it can be an effective stifling tactic, but it did not work on this occasion as Liverpool scored in either half through Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane.
115 – Liverpool remain unbeaten in their last 115 Premier League games at Anfield when leading at half time (W103 D12), with their last such defeat coming back in December 2009 against Arsenal. Ascendancy. #LIVBUR pic.twitter.com/YTKRmggGPJ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 21, 2021
Klopp’s men have now won seven consecutive Premier League games while scoring in both halves in each of them. Liverpool’s own run of 11 victories with goals before and after half-time in 2014 was the last longer streak.
Burnley are on their own impressive run, though – one at odds with Klopp’s frustrations.
Sean Dyche’s side are now 95 Premier League matches without a red card since Robbie Brady’s late dismissal against Huddersfield Town in January 2019, surpassing the previous competition record that saw Ipswich Town go 94 games without having a player sent off prior to December 1994.
Home comforts at last for City star Laporte
In Manchester City’s 5-0 demolition of Norwich City, Aymeric Laporte scored his ninth goal for the club but first at the Etihad Stadium.
Laporte had turned out at City’s home stadium 44 times previously without hitting the net, with each of his eight prior strikes coming at different grounds.
The Spain centre-back had goals at the AMEX, Emirates Stadium, Goodison Park, Groupama Stadium, Metalist Stadium, Molineux, Wembley and Vicarage Road before finally celebrating in front of the Etihad supporters.
Another Villa pen makes for Premier League first
Danny Ings’ outrageous overhead kick lit up a tight affair between Aston Villa and Newcastle United, but it was a controversial second from the penalty spot that put the game beyond the Magpies.
Ings had scored from 12 yards on his debut against Watford – his volley against Newcastle making him the fourth Villa player to net in each of their first two Premier League games for the club – and so was expected to step up again when Jamaal Lascelles was adjudged to have handled.
Instead, Anwar El Ghazi grabbed Villa’s second, maintaining his perfect penalty record in the competition with six from six.
15 – Since their return to the Premier League in 2019, Anwar El Ghazi (15) has scored more league goals than any other Aston Villa player. Assured. #AVLNEW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 21, 2021
Ings was overlooked despite missing just one of his nine attempts, meaning Villa became the first side in Premier League history to have two different players score spot-kicks in the first two games of a season.
There had been previous examples of two team-mates converting penalties in the same game – Fulham’s Louis Saha and Steve Marlet on the opening day in 2002-03, and Southampton pair Dusan Tadic and Charlie Austin on matchday two in 2017-18 – but never in different matches at the start of a campaign.
Dom spot on at Leeds as Gray makes amends
There was a personal penalty first at Elland Road, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin kickstarted Everton’s 2-2 draw with Leeds United. It was the England striker’s 55th Toffees goal but his first from the spot.
Demarai Gray had Everton in front for a second time in the second half with his maiden strike for the club. Having netted in a 2-0 Leicester City win in 2017, he became the 34th player to score for and against Everton in the Premier League.
2 – Demarai Gray has scored in back-to-back league appearances at Elland Road, though these games have come 2,149 days apart (previously in October 2015 with Birmingham City). Shades. #LEEEVE
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 21, 2021
That puts Everton fourth in that regard, behind West Ham (46), Aston Villa (42) and Liverpool (39). Villa’s Ings and Liverpool’s Mane are both included.
Saints brush off Fred the Red’s helping hand
It is a fixture best known for a famous grey-clad Manchester United loss, but Southampton’s slip-up against a Red Devils side unmistakably dressed in blue and yellow went entirely to script.
Saints led through a Fred own goal, the fourth time United have netted for Southampton in the competition. Only against Newcastle (five) have United scored more own goals.
But Mason Greenwood’s equaliser ensured Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are now unbeaten in a record-equalling 27 away league fixtures.
15 – Last season, Manchester United recovered 15 points when losing at half-time, coming from behind to win on five different occasions – one of which was at St. Mary’s against Southampton. Dangerous.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 22, 2021
For Southampton, this was nowhere near as bad as last season’s clash when they collapsed from 2-0 up to lose 3-2 – or, of course, the 9-0 Old Trafford humiliation – but it was still painfully familiar. They have now dropped 42 points from winning positions against United in the Premier League, fewer only than Tottenham’s 45 against Arsenal.
Since the start of last season, Saints top the charts for squandering leads, giving up 28 points – three ahead of second-placed Brighton and Hove Albion.
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