Burnley suffered their second defeat in succession, as Liverpool ran out 4-0 winners at Anfield on Saturday.
The Clarets were soundly beaten 3-0 at Chelsea before the international break, but the Reds went one better as a Yossi Benayoun hat-trick and a Dirk Kuyt strike sealed the points for Rafa Benitez’s men.
Owen Coyle must have cursed the fixture list when they were released, Burnley have already played four of last season’s top five with just five games gone.
Burnley arrived at Anfield with a clear game plan and for 25 minutes The Claret’s did well to stifle Liverpool’s attack, closing down the spaces all over the pitch, giving away little room for Rafa Benitez’s men to manoeuvre.
However, Liverpool showed their class with a superb break away goal on 27 minutes.
Steven Gerrard fed Glen Johnson, who then gave it to Benayoun who darted into the area, and side footed past Brian Jensen into the far corner.
Minutes later, it could have been two.
Jensen made a terrific double save to deny first Benayoun, then Kuyt.
As Liverpool continued to press for a second, Lucas hit a long-range effort that was well saved again by Jensen.
On 41 minutes, Liverpool added a second.
Again, Benayoun was afforded too much room and his shot was spilled by Jensen, and Kuyt was on hand to turn it in.
Steven Gerrard almost added a third before the break, but his 25 yard effort was tipped over by Jensen.
Liverpool made it three, just six minutes after the re-start. Torres found Gerrard who surged into the box and squared for Benayoun to claim his second of the match.
Benayoun thought he’d scored his first Premier League hat-trick for Liverpool but was ruled offside.
Coyle handed a debut to David Nugent, who was afforded a villain’s reception from The Kop for his Everton allegiances, but the one time England striker could do little to affect the outcome, as Benayoun claimed his third with eight minutes remaining.
Substitute Andriy Voronin slid the ball through a static defence, and the Israel captain claimed the match ball, after he dispatched the ball beyond Jensen.
There was even time for Liverpool to nearly add a fifth, as Voronin’s deft back heel met by Gerrard and his low drive was saved by Jensen’s outstretched foot.
Burnley: Jensen, Alexander (Gudjonsson 75), Carlisle, Fletcher, Paterson (Nugent 69), Elliott, Mears, McCann, Blake (Eagles 59), Bikey, Jordan. Substitutes: Penny, McDonald, Thompson, Guerrero.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson (Ayala 64), Gerrard, Torres (Ngog 75) , Riera, Benayoun, Kuyt (Voronin 69), Lucas, Insua, Carragher, Skrtel. Substitutes: Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Spearing, Degen, Dossena.
Attendance: 43,817
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