Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table as they battled to a 2-0 victory against Burnley at Turf Moor
The Reds were far from their free-flowing best and rued profligacy after Darwin Nunez opened the scoring in the early stages of the Boxing Day encounter. However, Diogo Jota notched in the 90th minute on his return from injury as Jurgen Klopp's troops stuck to their task to earn three points.
The game started in an open manner, with Harvey Elliott having a shot saved for Liverpool while Zeki Amdouni had an effort for Burnley.
The breakthrough arrived in just the sixth minute - with Nunez finally ending his barren streak. The Uruguay international received the ball from Cody Gakpo on the edge of the 18-yard box and curled home a finish into the far corner.
The Reds continued on the front foot for the remainder of the first half but lacked cutting edge. Gakpo did have the ball in the back of the net on 28 minutes but it was ruled out as Nunez was adjudged to have fouled Clarets defender Charlie Taylor in the build-up.
Ten minutes into the second period, Liverpool had a second goal disallowed. Elliott deftly finished Ryan Gravenberch's cross but after a VAR check, referee Paul Tierney ruled that Mo Salah was in an offside position and impairing the vision of Burnley keeper James Trafford.
That sparked a response from Burnley and in the 68th minute Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson was picked out in acres of space at the back post but couldn't hit the target.
Jurgen Klopp made a triple change to try to shift the momentum back in Liverpool's favour. And it should have bore fruit with 17 minutes remaining when substitutes Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai combined but the latter couldn't steer an effort towards goal from close range.
Brunn Larsen whistled a long-range shot not too far wide for Burnley as they searched for an equaliser. Yet Liverpool would wrap up the triumph in the 90th minute when Jota, playing his first game in a month following a hamstring injury, rounded off a counter-attack.
The Reds signed off 2023 with a triumph and are now two points above Arsenal, who aren't back in action until Wednesday evening, in the table. Here's how we rated the Liverpool players.
1. Alisson Becker - 6
Saw a couple of early shots come his way but otherwise an untroubled first half. Passing got a little wayward for a spell in the second period but untroubled.
2. Trent Alexander-Arnold - 6
Played one tremendous long ball to set Gakpo free in the first half. Had to do his share of defending in the second half and booked after a mix-up with Quansah before one left-foot volley went just wide in the closing stages.
3. Virgil van Dijk - 8
Breezed through the encounter.
4. Jarell Quansah - 7
Kept Burnley quiet in the first half. Made a huge block in the second period to cut out a dangerous cross.