Liverpool keep up their Man City EPL hunt

Everything was set up at Turf Moor for Liverpool to drop vital points against Burnley in their improbable attempt to reel in Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

Then salvation came in the unlikely form of Fabinho.

Or perhaps not so unlikely as the defensive midfielder's scruffy winner in the 1-0 victory on Sunday was actually his fifth goal in his last seven games in all competitions.

"I am surprised at my form," Fabinho, a player known for his tackles rather than goals, said with a smile.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was just pleased that his side passed the fierce examination against the league's last-placed team, who didn't really play like it.

"Everything today was set up to be a banana skin for us," Klopp said. "The balls in the air were so tricky to defend because the wind came from all directions. We played the circumstances rather than suffered from them.

"We like each other, we respect each other. We had to work incredibly hard and that is what the boys did. We made our shirts dirty."

The Reds aren't letting up in their pursuit of City.

The lead is back down to nine points between the top two and Liverpool have a game in hand, at home to struggling Leeds on February 23. Crucially, Klopp's team also have to play at City in April.

Liverpool have quietly put an impressive streak together, winning six in a row in all competitions and losing just once since November 7.

Elsewhere, a couple of free kicks from Kieran Trippier helped Newcastle pull clear of the relegation zone at St James' Park.

His first was in a 3-1 win over Everton on Tuesday and on Sunday, he smashed one through the defensive wall, via a slight deflection, and high into the net to earn his team a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.

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