Liverpool’s long wait for everything to "really click" under Arne Slot goes on after Marcus Edwards snatched a 1-1 draw for relegation-threatened Burnley at Anfield, punishing a performance that was dominant in every metric except the one that matters. Florian Wirtz had put the defending Premier League champions in front late in the first half, shortly after Dominik Szoboszlai struck the crossbar from the penalty spot, but Liverpool somehow contrived to take only a point from an afternoon in which they registered 32 shots, 11 of them on target.
Burnley, camped in a deep 5-4-1 for much of the contest, survived long spells that resembled a training-ground attack-versus-defence drill before striking with their only effort on target in the 65th minute, Edwards rifling Florentino Luís’ through-ball across Alisson Becker and into the far corner. Liverpool, roared on by a crowd that alternated between fervent backing and audible frustration, mounted a ferocious late siege but could not find a winner, extending their unbeaten run to 12 matches in all competitions yet drawing a fourth league game in succession. Slot’s side move one point clear of Manchester United in fourth but miss the chance to close the gap on Manchester City and Aston Villa, while Burnley stay 19th and winless in 13, though this courageous point at the champions may feel like a victory.
Slot’s puzzle: all the ball, not enough cutting edge
Slot had set the challenge for his players before a ball was kicked. Liverpool, he noted, have enjoyed more possession against low blocks than any other team in the division this season, but he is still "waiting for the moment it really clicks" in the final third. Burnley arrived at Anfield determined to pose exactly that puzzle, lining up in a deep five-man defence with four midfielders packed in front, leaving Armando Broja as a lonely outpost up front. For much of the first half it was an exercise in containment for Scott Parker’s men, and in probing, patient pressure for Liverpool.