Sam Vokes and Andre Gray scored their first Premier League goals as Burnley stunned Liverpool with a superb 2-0 victory at Turf Moor.
Playing on the road again as a result of renovation work at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp’s men were unable to recapture the inspired form that secured a 4-3 win over Arsenal on the opening weekend.
Unfortunately for their manager, the defensive frailties displayed at Emirates Stadium were quickly evident once more as Wales international Vokes emphatically opened the scoring in the second minute.
Vokes was finding his feet following a serious knee injury during Burnley’s 2014-15 foray into the top flight and failed to find the net in 15 appearances, but his partnership with the more prolific Gray holds plenty of promise this time around.
Gray scored 25 times as Sean Dyche’s side won the Championship last season and his tireless running gave Liverpool’s defence a torrid afternoon, with a fine 37th-minute finish coming as just reward.
Liverpool, who rubber-stamped Christian Benteke’s departure to Crystal Palace earlier on Saturday, lacked similar cutting edge, leaving Klopp with plenty to ponder.
The visitors started with James Milner as a make-shift left-back but it was their established right-back who erred as Burnley grabbed an early advantage.
Nathaniel Clyne’s slack pass in-field was anticipated and intercepted by Gray, who fed Vokes and saw his strike partner turn to thrash an unstoppable shot past Simon Mignolet from the edge of the box.
Gray then had a chance to demonstrate his trademark pace and Liverpool required a last-ditch recovery tackle from Dejan Lovren to avert further damage.
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