On the evening of 14/9, Mohamed Salah's 95th-minute penalty secured a 1-0 win for Liverpool at Turf Moor, marking a record fourth consecutive match with a decisive goal scored after the 80th minute.

This streak began with Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah scoring in the 88th and 94th minutes, respectively, in their 4-2 opening day victory over Bournemouth for the 2025-2026 season. In the second round, Liverpool had to wait until the 10th minute of added time for 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha to secure a 3-2 win against Newcastle. Then, against Arsenal on 31/8, Slot's team won 1-0 thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai's 83rd-minute free kick.

Salah celebrates the decisive goal in Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Burnley in the 4th round of the Premier League, 14/9/2025. Photo: Reuters

Salah celebrates the decisive goal in Liverpool's 1-0 victory over Burnley in the 4th round of the Premier League, 14/9/2025. Photo: Reuters

At Turf Moor, the reigning Premier League champions faced numerous challenges against the newly promoted Burnley. Burnley often retreated with all 11 players into their own half, closing down space and disrupting Liverpool's attacking flow. If Hannibal Mejbri hadn't handled the ball in the penalty area leading to the penalty in added time, the Reds might have had to settle for a draw.

"It was a relief and we were lucky," said manager Arne Slot. "If you don't score from a set piece, you have to score from open play. But we didn't have a real open-play chance. It's difficult to play against 11 players defending the box."

When asked if he was more impressed or worried about Liverpool's frequent late goals, the Dutch manager said both. He praised his players' determination to win but acknowledged the difficulty of breaking down deep-lying defenses.

"Burnley defended very well and almost got a point," Slot added. "I'm not saying anything negative about them. I just want to explain how difficult it is to play against a Premier League team that puts all its players behind the ball and doesn't bring the ball forward."

Besides the record of 4 consecutive matches with late decisive goals, Liverpool has also scored in 38 consecutive games, a testament to their attacking prowess. With the penalty against Burnley, Salah reached 188 Premier League goals, surpassing Andy Cole to become the fourth-highest scorer in the league's history. He now trails only Alan Shearer (260 goals), Harry Kane (213), and Wayne Rooney (208).

Salah also scored his 35th successful penalty for Liverpool, surpassing Billy Liddell's record from the 1960s.

Thanh Quy (TT)