Liverpool kept the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester City as Fabinho sealed a 1-0 win over Burnley, while Tottenham’s top four bid suffered a fresh blow in a 2-0 loss to Wolves on Sunday.
Fabinho struck late in the first half at windswept Turf Moor to give Liverpool their fourth successive league victory.
Liverpool are nine points behind City with one game in hand as the Reds refuse to let the title race become a prolonged coronation for Pep Guardiola’s men.
City made it 14 wins from their last 15 league games on Saturday as Raheem Sterling’s hat-trick inspired a 4-0 win at lowly Norwich.
But Guardiola is convinced Liverpool will push the champions all the way to the finish line and the way they ground out a hard-fought success against bottom of the table Burnley suggests he is right not to count them out.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was able to welcome back Sadio Mane for his first appearance since helping Senegal win the African Cup of Nations.
Mane, who only returned to training on Friday, was joined in Liverpool’s attack by Mohamed Salah, the Egyptian making his first start since being on the losing side against Senegal in the final.
It was the first time since the end of October that Salah, Mane and Roberto Firmino had started together.
On a wet afternoon in Lancashire, Burnley were in typically aggressive mood, with Alisson Becker forced to save Josh Brownhill’s swirling strike.
Burnley’s Wout Weghorst should have done better than produce a tame chip when he burst clean through on goal.
After a shaky start, Fabinho restored order for Liverpool five minutes before half-time.
The Brazilian poked home a fifth goal in his last seven games after Mane headed on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner.
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