Jurgen Klopp appeared thrilled – and a little relieved – that Liverpool avoided slipping up away to Burnley on Sunday as they won 1-0 at Turf Moor.
Fabinho got Liverpool's decisive goal just before half-time, bundling in at the second time of asking after Sadio Mane flicked on a corner delivery.
But it was by no means a straightforward victory, as Burnley had their fair share of opportunities in the first half.
In total, Alisson had to make five saves – only once in his Premier League career has the Brazilian been forced into more in a single game (six, against Southampton in May 2021).
Although Burnley sit rooted to the bottom of the table, Klopp was under no illusions that the Clarets represented a potential "banana skin".
As such, he was in a good mood as the Reds ensured they can still trim Manchester City's lead at the summit to six points if they win their game in hand.
Klopp told Sky Sports: "A perfect afternoon – raining and windy. We scored from a set-piece and it was a brilliant goal, to be honest.
"Everything today was set up to be a banana skin for us. The balls in the air were so tricky to defend because the wind came from all directions. We played the circumstances rather than suffered from them.
"Most of their chances were offside but of course they had their moments, that is clear. They have quality, but we dealt with it pretty well.
"We had to work incredibly hard and that is what the boys did. We made our shirts dirty. I am really happy because I know how difficult it is to come here. Absolutely satisfied."
Defeat leaves Burnley with just one win from their first 21 Premier League games this season – they are the first club to have so few victories at this stage of a campaign since Derby County (also one win) in 2007-08.
As for Liverpool, they have now won each of their last six league games without conceding against sides who have started the day bottom of the table.
Football rumours: Jadon Sancho set for cut-price January sale
The clock appears to be ticking on Jadon Sancho’s time at Manchester United. The Daily Star reports United are willing to sell the England winger, 23, in January for less than the £73million they paid Borussia Dortmund.
Another winger is being linked to a move to Old Trafford, with Manchester United among several clubs keen on Club Brugge youngster Antonio Nusa. The Daily Express reports Arsenal and Chelsea are also interested in the 18-year-old Norwegian, who is valued around £30million.
One forward not going anywhere is Son Heung-min. According to the Daily Telegraph, Tottenham are ready to trigger an option in the South Korean’s contract which will keep the 31-year-old at the club for a further year until 2026.
There are comings and goings off the pitch at Tottenham. The Guardian reports chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini has left the club ahead of the appointment of a new sporting director.
Social media round-upPlayers to watchMichail Antonio: Wolves, Everton and Nottingham Forest could step in if the 33-year-old striker fails to agree a new deal at West Ham.
Khephren Thuram: Liverpool and Tottenham are among several top European clubs on the trail of Nice’s 22-year-old France midfielder.
Police searching for three men over break-in at Raheem Sterling’s home
Police are searching for three men suspected of being linked to a break-in at the home of England footballer Raheem Sterling.
Det Insp James Ansell, from Surrey Police, told the BBC detectives are trying to establish the current whereabouts of Albanian nationals Alfred Isufi, 48, Gerard Kalaja, 22, and Henri Osmani, 44.
The trio are being sought for questioning over 33 burglaries throughout Surrey, Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire.
Mr Ansell told the BBC: “Investigating burglary dwellings is a priority for Surrey Police and we will be relentless in pursing these offenders.”
Items totalling an estimated £1million are believed to have been taken in the incidents.
These include the burglary of former Manchester City and current Chelsea star Sterling’s home last year.
The break-in happened in Oxshott, Leatherhead, and was reported to police on December 3 during the World Cup in Qatar.
Sterling travelled home from Qatar to be with his family after news of the incident reached him, missing England’s 3-0 win over Senegal on December 4.
On Thursday, a trial date was set for a 23-year-old man who was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in connection with the break-in Sterling’s home.
Emiliano Krosi, of Ditton Court Road, Southend-on-Sea, appeared at Guildford Crown Court to face 33 counts of conspiracy to commit burglary.
Judge Rufus Taylor adjourned the case for a plea hearing to taking place on November 3 and the two-week trial to start on February 14, 2024.
Late goal sends Brighton to defeat on their Europa League debut
Brighton were taught a harsh lesson on their Europa League debut as Greek champions AEK Athens ran out 3-2 winners after a pulsating encounter at the Amex Stadium.
Substitute Ezequiel Ponce struck the winner on the counter attack six minutes from the end of normal time as Roberto De Zerbi’s side failed to heed the signs after falling behind twice previously in the first half.
Joao Pedro equalised from the penalty spot in the first period then again in the second, both times after VAR had intervened in Brighton’s favour.
The hosts had the better of the play but they lacked the clinical edge of AEK, who scored with two excellent finishes from set-pieces. The first goal was a superb header from Djibril Sidibe, followed by a sliding finish from Mijat Gacinovic as Brighton were undone by nerves and their own naivety.
The opening goal came after 11 minutes and was against the early run of the play.
AEK’s first attack saw them win a corner on the left after a low cross was turned behind. As the ball was whipped in, no one had picked up the lurking Sidibe who with a late dash into the box caught Brighton out with a superb 15-yard diving header that whistled past Jason Steele.
De Zerbi’s side had been badly caught out, and seconds later it could have been two. Levi Garcia, who would torment Brighton in the first period with pace and clever movement, raced beyond the defence and went through on goal, but the hosts were saved by Garcia’s tame finish that was too close to Steele.
Brighton were dominating the ball and largely camped in AEK’s half, but they could not plug the gaps that their opponents were finding on the counter attack.
Garcia wasted another glorious chance to double the visitors’ lead from an almost identical position when he again stole in behind the defence, this time slipping his effort just beyond the far post.
Yet Brighton’s play with the ball gave home fans reason for hope and soon they converted it into chances. Pedro nodded wide from a free header inside the six-yard box as Brighton finally put together an attack to concern the AEK defence, but within a minute he had made amends for his profligacy.
When defender Ehsan Hajsafi dangled a leg as Pedro looked to cut inside to shoot the referee initially booked the striker for diving. But after a pitchside VAR review the booking was rescinded, Pedro stepped up and coolly rolled his penalty beyond Cican Stankovic to score Brighton’s first European goal.
At that stage it appeared that they had had their reprieve for the way they had left themselves vulnerable to AEK’s threat, but five minutes before the break, another fine delivery from a set-piece, and another critical lapse in concentration.
Brighton held a high line on the edge of their own box as a free-kick was whipped in from 40 yards out, but as blue shirts charged back towards their own goal none of them could prevent Gacinovic from sliding to get a foot on the ball to turn it beyond Steele.
There was still time for Jan-Paul Van Hecke to deny Orbelin Pineda what would have been a deserved third for AEK on the stroke of half-time.
There was relief then around the Amex when the referee was directed pitch-side for another VAR review after Pedro’s tumble inside the box under Damian Szymanski’s challenge had at first been waved on. As in the first half, the decision was overturned, and Pedro got to his feet to replicate his earlier composed finish to draw Brighton level again.
De Zerbi was booked for remonstrating too forcefully on the touchline, before Pedro was handed the chance to seal his hat-trick and an opening night win when he spring the offside trap and went one-on-one with Stankovic. This time the goalkeeper got the better of their duel.
Then came AEK’s final sting. A raking ball from the back was nodded out wide by Ponce to Niclas Eliasson, who returned the ball to his fellow substitute. Although Steele blocked Ponce’s shot, the rebound ricocheted off the Argentinian and into the net for the winner.
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