LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Liverpool’s perfect home record in its title-winning campaign in the English Premier League was ended when Burnley battled back for a 1-1 draw against the champion at Anfield on Saturday.
Jürgen Klopp’s team was heading for an 18th straight home win until Jay Rodriguez drove a low shot into the bottom corner in the 69th minute in a rare sight on goal for Burnley.
Liverpool couldn’t respond and dropped points at Anfield for the first time, ending its bid to become the first Premier League team to win all of its home games in a single season.
Indeed, Burnley came closest to winning the game when Johann Berg Gudmundsson crashed a shot against the crossbar as Liverpool struggled to clear a corner.
Andrew Robertson put Liverpool in front with a powerful header in the 34th minute.
The game against a visiting team with little to play for seemed a good opportunity for Mohamed Salah to score more goals in his bid to capture the Golden Boot for a third straight season, after winning it in 2017-18 and sharing the scoring trophy last season with teammate Sadio Mane and Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Salah was denied a number of times by goalkeeper Nick Pope, including from close range in the first half after wriggling free in the area and in second-half stoppage time with a right-footed shot from 10 meters.
Salah stayed three goals behind the league top scorer, Jamie Vardy of Leicester.
Liverpool needs to win its remaining three games - against Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle - to beat the record points haul by a team for a single season in the Premier League, held by Manchester City with its 100 from 2017-18.
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