FOOTBALL: PREMIER LEAGUE Daily Express Monday, September 02, 2019^61
DX1ST0
3
BURNLEY
LIVERPOOL
By David Anderson
BURNLEY v LIVERPOOL
37 POSSESSION %(^2) SHOTS ON TARGET^63
(^4) SHOTS OFF TARGET 7
6 CORNERS^2
(^5) OFFSIDE^4
(^10) FS 1
OULS 16
0 YELLOW CARDS
0 RED CARDS^0
Source: Opta^0
PIC OF THE BUNCH
We need to show arrogance
and be confident – we’re
Man United Harry Maguire
CHILWELL
Leicester
WALKER IIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Man City
AAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLKKKKKKKKKK
SIGURDSSON
Everton
URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
VARDY
Leicester
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDD
VESTERGAARD
Southampton
EEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGG
FIRMINO
Liverpool
RRMRMRMRMRMRMRMRMRMRRMRMMMMMMMMMMMI
AGUERO
Man City
GGGGGGGUEUEUUUUUUEUEUUUEEEEEEEE RICHARLISON
Everton
AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLL
VAN DIJK
Liverpool
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDD
DE BRUYNE
Man City
BBBBBBBBBRURRRRRRRRRURRRRRUUUUUU
PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEKEND
20
Aston Villa are now
winless in 20 Premier
League away games (D3
L17), losing each of their
last nine in a row.
David Silva lies seventh in the Premier League
assist table with his two on Saturday taking his
tally to 87 since his Manchester City debut in 2010
Assists^ Apps^ Apps
per assist
Ryan Giggs 162 632 3.9
Cesc Fabregas 111 350 3.2
Wayne Rooney 103 491 4.8
Frank Lampard 102 609 6.0
Dennis Bergkamp 94 315 3.4
Steven Gerrard 92 504 5.5
David Silva 87 286 3.3
James Milner 83 519 6.3
David Beckham 80 265 3.3
Teddy Sheringham 76 418 5.5
PREMIER ASSIST KINGS
GLORY BHOYS: Celtic celebrate a 2-0
win at Ibrox in the Old Firm derby
THE 60
SECOND
WEEKEND
KRUL
Norwich
KKKKKKKRURURRRRRRRRURURURRUUUUUUUUU
3
THINGS WE LEARNT IN
THE PREM THIS WEEKEND
1 Sergio Aguero could match Ben Stokes for landmark
centuries this season. His double against Brighton took
his tally to to 101 goals under Pep Guardiola. He is also
now on 99 Premier League goals at the Etihad.
2 Crystal Palace’s win over Villa was their 11th Premier
League victory in 2019 – only three teams have more.
3 They are ‘glass half-full people’ at Brighton. The club
website highlighted their 46% possession and the fact
they managed 508 passes compared to Manchester
City’s 593. Shame about the 4-0 goals stat though.
incident was quickly
forgotten and says the
players motivate each other
by being so demanding.
“I couldn’t really
understand it at first but
when he came in, he was
laughing and joking,” said
the Reds skipper, who was
sitting on the bench when
Mane went berserk, left.
“The most important
thing was we got the result,
a great lad. That’s us pushing
each other. We’re really close
and can deal with that.”
Klopp tried to laugh off
Mane’s tantrum and claims
there is no problem between
him and Salah. “Everybody is
happy,” said the Reds boss.
“He’s an emotional guy,
they’re all very emotional.
Would he do it exactly the
same again? Probably not.
Everybody needs to calm
down. He’s completely fine
and everything is good.”
Sadio knows that. He had a
fantastic game.
“Like I said, we want to
push each other. We want to
improve all the time. I quite
like that now and again. We
need it.”
Mane had to be calmed by
James Milner and Joe Gomez,
and Henderson claims the
Senegal star can be fiery,
despite his quiet demeanour.
“I’ve seen it now and
again,” said the England
midfielder. “Sadio’s fine, he’s
JORDAN HENDERSON claims
that he likes a bit of ‘aggro’
between the Liverpool
players because it spurs
them on.
Sadio Mane was furious
with Mo Salah for selfishly
going it alone instead of
passing to him and erupted
when
Jurgen
Klopp
substituted him
and left on the Egyptian. But
Henderson claims the
Mane rant all part of big push says Jordan
anybody better at doing that,”
said Robertson. “He presses
defenders, then he goes up and
scores goals and makes assists.”
Firmino is the ultimate team
player and it is hard to
imagine Mane moaning at him
for not passing in the way the
Senegal star went berserk about
Salah’s selfishness.
Klopp says Gini Wijnaldum
was staggered by Firmino’s
work ethic when he played in
his position against Barcelona.
“It’s unbelievable just how
smart he is in decision-making,
how good he is technically, how
fit he is, how much he enjoys
the really hard work,” said the
Liverpool boss. “When we
played at Barcelona Gini played
that position, Gini’s sitting in
the dressing room saying ‘What
the heck are you doing in that
position?! It’s unbelievable! It’s
so intense’.
“That’s probably the biggest
respect you can get, when
someone plays in your position
and says that.”
After Trent Alexander-
Arnold’s cross was deflected
home off Chris Wood’s shoulder
for the opener, Firmino sent
Mane through to score and then
netted the third with a crisp
finish from the edge of the area.
Liverpool have set a new club
record of 13 straight Premier
League wins and sit top with
12 points from 12 this season.
Yet Robertson said: “It means
nothing. Of course it’s nice to be
in the record books but it’s not
about that. It’s about having
four wins from four and being
top of the league going into the
first international break. We’ll
have the break, come back and
we’ve got another tough run.”
BURNLEY (4-4-2): Pope 6; Lowton 6, Tarkowski
6, Mee 5, Pieters 5; Lennon 7, Cork 6, Westwood 6,
McNeil 7; Wood 6, Barnes 6 (Rodriguez 73, 5).
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Adrian 7; Alexander-Arnold 7,
Van Dijk 8, Matip 7, Robertson 6; Wijnaldum 7, Fabinho
7, Henderson 7 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 71, 6); Salah
7, Firmino 8 (Shaqiri 85), Mane 8 (Origi 85). Goals:
Wood 33 og, Mane 37, Firmino 80.
By David Anderson
BRIGHTEST
STAR IN THE
FIRMAMENT
ROBERTO FIRMINO is
sometimes eclipsed by the
bright stars of Sadio Mane and
Mo Salah in Liverpool’s
attacking firmament – yet he
means the world to the Reds.
Defender Andy Robertson
summed up Firmino’s
importance by claiming they
would be “lost without him”.
He is the glue that bonds the
most-feared front three in
European football together
and, unlike one of his fellow
forwards, works unselfishly for
the team.
Firmino set up Mane for his
goal at Turf Moor before
netting Liverpool’s third to
become the first Brazilian to
score 50 Premier League goals.
Chuck in his 29 assists and
he has been directly involved
in 79 goals in 141 Premier
League appearances.
Robertson claims Firmino’s
comprehensive skill-set makes
him unique in world football.
“With his work-rate, his
technique, his goals and his all-
round play, I don’t think there’s
anyone like him,” he said.
“People say there are better
strikers but for me what he does
is so important to our team.
We’d be lost without him. He’s
world class. That’s the beauty of
Bobby. He can do it all.”
Firmino is every inch a Jurgen
Klopp player and sets the
tempo for their high press
with his phenomenal work rate.
“He’s our
first line of
defence and
I’ve not
seen
Reds are lost without Brazilian raves
Robertson after record-breaking win
BOBBY DAZZLER:
Firmino drills in his
50th Premier League
goal to seal Reds win
Picture: NICK TAYLOR
Can’t believe the decision to
disallow the goal should’ve came
away with a point. We rest up
now and go again after the
international break.
- ASTON VILLA’S JACK GREALISH