Klavan strike gives Liverpool victory against Burnley
Liverpool extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 16 matches after an added-time Ragnar Klavan goal gave them a thrilling 2-1 win at Burnley in the Premier League on Monday.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson's stooping header in the 87th minute for the home side looked to have frustrated the visitors before Estonian defender Klavan bundled the ball in at the back post from a Dejan Lovren header to snatch all three points.A stunning 61st minute strike from Sadio Mane, who blasted the ball home on the turn from the edge of the area, had put fourth-placed Liverpool ahead as they moved to 44 points.It was a tightly contested game and Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was delighted with his side's spirit."Did we deserve to win? I don't care. We got the three points," said the German. "It was a fantastic finish to the game.
This is one of the toughest places to play all season."Today it wasn't possible to play brilliantly but it was an open game, we had a massive setback with the equaliser but we changed it again - we haven't done that too often this year."Klopp made seven changes from the side that beat Leicester City 2-1 at Anfield on Saturday, with Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho injured and forward Roberto Firmino left on the bench."I like rotation, I love the quality of my squad and I am really pleased. It was not fantastic football but it was a fantastic attitude," said Klopp.
Liverpool dominated possession as the first half wore on but without Coutinho's quick-thinking creativity in midfield they struggled to break Burnley down. Burnley threatened sporadically as they looked to soak up the pressure, although Simon Mignolet was called into action to save Arfield's glancing header. Without Coutinho and Salah this was a game when Liverpool needed Mane to step up and recapture his scintillating form of last season, and despite largely struggling he provided a moment of quality. When Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain intelligently picked out the run of Alexander-Arnold on the right flank, the full-back's deflected cross found Mane in the centre of the box. The Senegal forward controlled the ball turned on sixpence and lashed an unstoppable shot past Burnley keeper Nick Pope and high into the roof of the net.
Liverpool looked the more likely to score a second and a brilliant save from Pope kept out a thumping shot from Alexander-Arnold which looked destined for the top-right corner. Burnley equalised in the 87th minute when Charlie Taylor's cross from the left was flicked on by substitute Sam Vokes and the stooping Gudmundsson headed past Mignolet. However, Liverpool scored with the seconds ticking away when Oxlade-Chamberlain's free-kick was headed back across goal by Dejan Lovren to leave centre-back partner Klavan with the simplest of headers from a few yards out.

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