Salah scores last-gasp penalty as Liverpool stay perfect in Premier League

Mohamed Salah scored a stoppage-time penalty against Burnley on Sunday as Liverpool maintained their perfect record to return to the top of the Premier League.

Scott Parker's men had doggedly kept the champions at bay but a Hannibal Mejbri handball in the dying seconds gave Salah a chance to win the match and he made no mistake.

Liverpool are the first side in Premier League history to win four consecutive games with winning goals scored in the final 10 minutes or later -- with Sunday's coming in the 95th minute.

They are three points clear of Arsenal, who went top of the table on Saturday with a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest.

Arne Slot's Liverpool, chasing a record 21st English league title, have not been at their best this season but have found a way to win all four of their matches.

The Dutchman said his team had struggled to create clear-cut chances against a side who defended deep.

They had 27 shots at Turf Moor but just four of those were on target.

"We kept playing, we kept moving the ball around," Slot told Sky Sports. "They got more and more tired which is normal when you have to defend for 80 percent of time and then we got as many attackers on as possible.

"Difficult game but all of them are in the Premier League. A clean sheet and from open play we hardly concede a chance. That's a good thing.

"It is normal and a lot of new players, we will get better and better but in the meantime we have 12 points."

- Isak absent -

Slot left new signing Alexander Isak out of his squad after warning he would ease the forward into action gradually.

But he could still field an impressive attacking line-up including Salah, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike.

Liverpool dominated from the start while Burnley sought to break quickly on the rare occasions when they won possession.

Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate headed over from close range and Ekitike flicked a shot wide of the far post from a narrow angle.

But their one shot on target in the first half came from Andy Robertson soon after he had replaced Milos Kerkez in the 38th minute.

The Hungary international had been booked for diving for a penalty, and Slot removed him from the fray after another foul to avoid a potential sending-off.

Ryan Gravenberch flashed a volley wide early in the second half and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka kept out a long-range effort from Dominik Szoboszlai.

Slot made his first attacking change in the 72nd minute, bringing on Federico Chiesa for Ekitike.

The move almost paid immediate dividends but the Italian international failed to direct his header from Robertson's cross on target.

Burnley were reduced to ten men as Lesley Ugochukwu was shown a second yellow card for bringing down Wirtz on the edge of the box in the 84th minute.

Slot threw on Jeremie Frimpong and Rio Ngumoha for Wirtz and Konate in a last-ditch bid for all three points.

Their relentless pressure finally paid off when Mejbri handled Frimpong's cross in the penalty area and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot.

Salah stepped up and blasted the ball into the net, ensuring a fourth win from four matches.

Burnley, promoted back to the Premier League in April, have one win and three defeats from their first four matches of the season. 

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