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Liverpool Player Ratings vs Burnley: Szoboszlai's Missed Penalty and Wirtz's Brilliance

Liverpool faced a frustrating 1-1 draw against Burnley at Anfield. Read on for a detailed analysis of the match that saw Dominik Szoboszlai's missed penalty and Florian Wirtz's impressive performance.

Liverpool Player Ratings vs Burnley: Szoboszlai's Missed Penalty and Wirtz's Brilliance

Liverpool were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Burnley after Dominik Szoboszlai missed a penalty in a match where Arne Slot’s side squandered numerous opportunities to win at Anfield. Florian Wirtz fired the Reds in front, but it was a brilliantly-taken strike from Marcus Edwards which earned the second-bottom side a precious point. Liverpool enjoyed the vast majority of possession in the opening stages, but Slot’s side could only manage a few half-chances until they were awarded a penalty on the half-hour mark after Florentino hacked down Cody Gakpo. Szoboszlai stepped up to take it, but thrashed his effort onto the crossbar, his miss coming just five days after his dreadful error against Barnsley in the FA Cup. The Reds continued to press and were well worth their lead when the deadlock was broken 12 minutes after the missed penalty, courtesy of a fine finish from Wirtz. Hugo Ekitike broke down the left before Curtis Jones neatly found Wirtz to thrash home from just inside the penalty area.Liverpool would have expected to make their dominance pay, but Burnley had an excellent chance to bring the match level just after the restart when Edwards curled his shot just wide of Alisson’s goal. He didn’t have long to wait to bring the visitor’s level, though, as the former Sporting CP winger did brilliantly to cut into the box and fire low across Alisson to send the travelling fans wild in a season which has offered so few moments of joy for Scott Parker’s side. The home fans voiced their displeasure at the final whistle after watching their side drop more points at home, as the draw means all three newly-promoted sides have taken a point on their visits to Anfield this season.GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield...Alisson Becker (6/10):Barely had anything to do until Burnley's first shot on target. Will be disappointed that Edwards' shot squeezed underneath his dive. Jeremie Frimpong (7/10):Played very high up the pitch and even had an excellent chance to score in the second half.Ibrahima Konate (6/10):Didn't have much to do throughout, was a solid if uninspiring performance.Virgil van Dijk (7/10):Had little to do and was one of just two Liverpool players whose average position was in his own half.Milos Kerkez (8/10):Had an early chance to fire the Reds in front, his low cross was cleared off the line and away for a corner. Booked for an untidy lunge on Anthony. Subbed off with ten minutes to go. Dominik Szoboszlai (6/10):A strange afternoon as he played well, but smashed his penalty against the Burnley crossbar. He'll be glad to see the back of January following that mistake against Barnsley. Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):Saw lots of the ball in the middle of midfield, but became sloppy with his passing as the second half progressed and was subbed off for Mac Allister. Curtis Jones (8/10):An industrious afternoon and was at the heart of so much Liverpool did well. Provided the assist for Wirtz's goal.Florian Wirtz (8/10):Took his goal very well, showing once again the undoubted quality he has, but didn't do enough aside from that.Cody Gakpo (6/10):Was a lively presence on the left for Liverpool and was chief creator for the majority of the match. Had a couple of half-chances which went begging. Hooked off for Ngumoha with a few minutes left. Hugo Ekitike (7/10):Was a constant thorn in Burnley's side, but wasted a couple of golden opportunities, including an excellent header in the first half. Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingAndy Robertson (6/10):Had very little to do when he came on. Enjoyed a few touches as Liverpool pressed for the winner. Alex Mac Allister (6/10):Brought on with only a handful of minutes remaining and wasted a golden chance when he fired high over the bar. Rio Ngumoha (6/10):A lively presence when he came on, but had too few chances to make an impact. Federico Chiesa (N/A):Brought on with only a few seconds remaining. Arne Slot (5/10):Another disappointing result. Another below-par performance at home, despite the missed penalty and a host of chances. He really should've made changes earlier in the match. 

1

Liverpool Player Performances:

Liverpool's clash against Burnley was a tale of missed opportunities and brilliance. Here's a breakdown of how each player performed:

2

Alisson Becker (6/10):

Alisson had a quiet game until Burnley’s goal. He will be disappointed to concede the equalizer.

3

Jeremie Frimpong (7/10):

Frimpong was active in the attack and came close to scoring himself in the second half.

4

Ibrahima Konate (6/10):

Konate had a steady game but wasn't overly tested by Burnley's attack.

5

Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

Van Dijk had a relatively quiet game, showcasing his defensive prowess when called upon.

6

Milos Kerkez (8/10):

Kerkez was involved in creating chances and was unfortunate not to score. He was solid defensively as well.

7

Dominik Szoboszlai (6/10):

Despite a decent performance, Szoboszlai's penalty miss proved costly, adding to recent errors.

8

Ryan Gravenberch (6/10):

Gravenberch started well but lost his effectiveness as the game progressed, leading to his substitution.

9

Curtis Jones (8/10):

Jones was instrumental in Liverpool's play and provided the assist for Wirtz's goal.

10

Florian Wirtz (8/10):

Wirtz showcased his quality with a well-taken goal but could have contributed more overall.

11

Cody Gakpo (6/10):

Gakpo was energetic but lacked clinical finishing in key moments.

12

Hugo Ekitike (7/10):

Ekitike posed a constant threat but missed crucial chances to secure the win for Liverpool.

13

Manager Arne Slot (5/10):

Slot's decisions were questioned as Liverpool failed to capitalize on their dominance. Earlier changes could have made a difference.

Published on Jan 17, 2026