National media revamp famous Sir Alex Ferguson phrase after Liverpool win - 'Maybe we should start talking about'

A look at how the national media viewed things as Liverpool beat Burnley 1-0 at Turf Moor thanks to Mohamed Salah's late penalty

Liverpool left it late once more but a fourth successive victory maintained their 100% start to the defence of their Premier League crown at Burnley. In a game devoid of any real opportunities, it was left to Mohamed Salah to strike a 95th-minute penalty after Hannibal Mejbri had foolishly handled Jeremie Frimpong's last-gasp cross.

The manner of the victory means the Reds' earliest winning goal across any of their four wins so far has come in the 83rd minute, against Arsenal, with Everton up next in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.

As always, the ECHO was on hand to run the rule over proceedings. You can catch our big-match verdict, our player ratings and our post-game analysis here. You can also see what Arne Slot and Scott Parker had to say too. Yes, we are across everything when the Reds are in action.

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Our colleagues from the national press were also in attendance to give their considered verdicts. Here's what they made of another late show from Slot's champions.

Paul Joyce, of The Times, writes: "For 94 minutes it had been pertinent to wonder what reason Mohamed Salah had for not showing up at Turf Moor. Alexander Isak, at least, had an excuse.

"This was a contest in which the Egypt forward had found himself marooned on the periphery, unable to do right for wrong as a couple of crosses that flew straight behind rather than to their intended target testified.

"Salah endured such an afternoon of toil that it was something of a mystery as to why the Liverpool head coach Arne Slot had not hauled him off in search of a breakthrough against a superbly organised Burnley, as he had done earlier with Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.

"And then the substitute Jeremie Frimpong swung over a cross in hope, Hannibal Mejbri looked horrified as the ball struck his right arm and referee Michael Oliver pointed for a penalty.

"Salah, who had missed his past two attempts in pre-season and the Community Shield, held his nerve to bury his kick beyond Martin Dubravka. In that instant, all of the issues he and his team-mates had suffered were forgotten.

"Salah has now scored 188 Premier League goals, moving ahead of Andrew Cole (187) into outright fourth in the top goalscorers chart, though relief rather than pride was his overriding emotion."

The Mirror's Mark Jones pens: "Eighty-eighth minute, 100th minute, 83rd minute, 95th minute. It hasn't been the smoothest of football from Liverpool this season but they are getting the job done eventually, just about. The Reds were perhaps more fortunate here than they have been in their other wins, but the three points are just as important now as they will be come the end of the season.

"It proved to be an afternoon for Milos Kerkez to forget at Burnley. After a shaky start in his first couple of games the Hungarian had impressed in the win over Arsenal, but his performance here would be defined by the dive that led to his first half booking, an act labelled 'stupid' by Jamie Carragher.

"With Slot concerned about a second card, Kerkez was hooked in the first half and replaced by Andy Robertson, who immediately entered the action with a point to prove. The new signing might look back at this as a learning experience."

The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe reflects: "Liverpool have an aura of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United. Maybe we should start talking about ‘Arne time’.

"The closer an opponent gets to denying them victory, the greater the sense of anxiety and inevitability the breakthrough will come.

"Burnley were 30 seconds from a courageous point, their rearguard action forcing the champions into a final desperate pursuit of a winner.

"Then the Burnley substitute, Hannibal Mejbri, inexplicably handled Jeremie Frimpong’s cross, and for a successive away game Liverpool were celebrating a last gasp victory. Mohamed Salah, who had missed his previous two spot-kicks, held his nerve to beat Martin Dubravka and maintain Slot’s 100 per cent record.

"Scott Parker took a 9-0 hammering the last time he coached a side against Liverpool. There was no danger of a repeat as the champions toiled to create opportunities, an increase in tempo in the second half matched by the excellence of Burnley defending.

"They were assisted by a red card for Lesley Ugochukwu, who had early been booked for a challenge on Alexis Mac Allister which forced the midfielder off at half-time. Ugochukwu’s trip on Florian Wirtz earned a second yellow."

Will Unwin, over on The Guardian's page, muses: "It never felt inevitable that Liverpool were going to emerge from Turf Moor with three points until Mohamed Salah was lining up a 95th-minute penalty.

"They dominated possession but struggled to break down 10-man Burnley, whose organisation and hard work frustrated the visitors until Hannibal Mejbri’s stoppage-time handball gifted the points to the champions.

"Arne Slot’s side have made a perfect start as they aim to retain the title, a task that should be made easier when he unleashes record £125m signing Alexander Isak, whose exile was extended by another match but it was not self-imposed on this occasion. With Liverpool lacking conviction in the final third, Isak would have been a welcome addition but, with a fourth straight victory secured, Slot need not worry about that.

"It is the second time in successive games that a late penalty has cost Burnley a draw, having lost last time out at Manchester United in similar circumstances. Scott Parker will be proud of his players, who in a season that could be defined by the finest of margins, will be frustrated by the dropped points. Burnley were deservedly holding on, despite Lesley Ugochukwu being dismissed late on for a second bookable offence.

"Parker, whose final game in charge of Bournemouth was a 9-0 defeat by Liverpool in August 2022, approached the fixture with a conservative outlook. Burnley switched to a back five including central midfielder Josh Laurent. Everyone in claret was almost permanently behind the ball and rarely offered much in the way of a press, as Liverpool enjoyed 81% possession, but were ready to irritate and win the ball back when required."

And in his ECHO verdict, St Helens' favourite son, the legendary Ian Doyle, wrote: "Whoever said defending the Premier League title was more difficult than winning it wasn’t wrong. After sauntering to a 20th championship last season, Liverpool are already being shown just how onerous the task will be to keep their hands on the shimmering silverware.

"For a fourth game in a row, Arne Slot’s required a dramatic late intervention to maintain the 100% start to their defence of the championship.

"But after the excitement of wins over Bournemouth and Newcastle United plus the satisfaction of landing an early blow on nearest rivals Arsenal, the overriding emotion among both players and supporters on the final whistle at Turf Moor was one of relief.

"Make no mistake, Liverpool – with Alexander Isak absent working on his fitness – made a right meal of seeing off an obdurate and resolute Burnley side who came within moments of putting a first serious dent in the season for Slot.

"The Reds boss readily admitted few could have grumbled had the promoted Clarets, backed by an occasionally raucous home crowd, held on for a goalless draw.

"But it wasn’t just fortune that prompted Burnley substitute Hannibal Mejbri to inexplicably handle Jeremie Frimpong’s cross and provide Mohamed Salah the opportunity to net a winner five minutes into additional time.

"If Liverpool deserve credit for their persistence going forward – even if too much of their play lacked imagination in attempting to chisel a way through the Burnley rearguard – then Slot also merits praise for his ambitious substitutions."

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