Liverpool v Burnley: Reds to collect three points in style at Anfield

Fresh off their straightforward 3-0 victory away at Norwich, Liverpool entertain Burnley on Saturday and Steve Rawlings fancies another facile win with plenty of goals...

Fresh Reds ready to win again

As Aston Villa and Arsenal fans will testify, playing a promoted team on the opening weekend of the season can be a tricky assignment. Villa were beaten 3-2 by Watford last week and Arsenal were gunned down 2-0 by Brentford but Liverpool suffered no such woes.

The Reds comfortably beat last year's Championship winners Norwich City away 3-0 and that was the third season in-a-row that they'd began their campaign with a victory against a Premier League newbie.

The fast start by Jürgen Klopp's charges wasn't a surprise given the Reds finished last season in fine style. They were unbeaten in their last ten to claim third place when Champions League qualification had looked beyond them in March - and they had a solid pre-season with a largely well-rested squad.

With the pre-season odds-on favourites, Manchester City, losing 1-0 to Spurs last week, Liverpool's price to regain the Premier League title has contacted from 6.8 to 5.4 and it's hard to see Saturday's opponents, Burnley, causing that price to drift.

Fragile Clarets set to struggle

In contrast to the hosts, Burnley finished their campaign poorly last season, going down 4-0 and 3-0 at home to Leeds and Liverpool before losing their final game to bottom club, Sheffield United/ They finished the season in 17th, just above the relegation places, and they haven't started this campaign well either.

The Clarets took an early lead at home to potential relegation rivals, Brighton, last weekend, courtesy of a controversial second-minute header by James Tarkowski, who had appeared to have shoved Neil Maupay in the build-up.

The goal being ruled out looked odds-on but it stood and Burnley should have made the most of their break by doubling their advantage at least before the break. Johann Gudmundsson struck the post from the edge of the penalty area before Ben Mee headed on to the crossbar from a set-piece but they ended the half just 1-0 up and it wasn't enough.

With the Clarets failing to register a single shot on target in the second half, Brighton grew into the game and stole the points with goals in the 73rd and 78th minute and Burnley's odds for the drop have shortened from a high of 4.0 to 2.5.

Burnley boss, Sean Dyche, was in a jovial enough mood in Thursday's press conference, joking about new signings.

"We were close to Messi. We were disappointed we lost that one and he referenced he'd love to have come here. Ronaldo is apparently sniffing but apart from that we'll see what options come available to us. Lewandowski didn't say he was coming to us, the other two did."

Sean Dyche close up 1280.jpg

Laughing and joking aside though, it's difficult to see Dyche being able to strengthen his squad and the Clarets appear to have a long hard season ahead of them.

A Reds win with goals offers up value

Burnley won this fixture 1-0 last season but that was their first win at Anfield since 1974 and they couldn't have played Liverpool at a better time.

The Reds were in disarray at the time, enduring a run that saw them lose eight of 12 Premier League games between the start of the year and the beginning of March but they've been a whole different kettle of fish since.

It's very difficult to see the Clarets getting anything from their trip to Merseyside this time around and big hitters will be happy enough to take the 1.22 available in the outright market but to eke out a bit more value, a Liverpool win and four or more goals in the game at around 2.8 looks a good way to play.

In what was a very disappointing title defence, there were four or more goals scored at Anfield in only four of their 19 home games (21%) last season but there were over 3.5 goals scored in 37% of Burnley's away games and a bounce back at Anfield looks likely given 47% of games there produced at least four goals in each of the two previous seasons.

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