LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom (AFP) — Emre Can’s superb shot guided Liverpool to a 2-1 home win over Burnley yesterday and maintained their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Ashley Barnes, with his club’s first goal at Anfield since 1975, had given Burnley a deserved early lead only for Georginio Wijnaldum to equalise in first-half injury time.

And Can struck just after the hour mark to secure victory for Liverpool, although it was a far-from-convincing performance by Jurgen Klopp’s side.

German international Can collected a short pass from Divock Origi and was allowed space to unleash a right-foot shot from 25 yards which the Burnley goalkeeper, Tom Heaton, might have been expected to save before it reached the bottom left-hand corner of his net.

Victory saw Liverpool remain fourth, still in the final Champions League place open to English clubs.

The win moved them to within a point of third-placed Manchester City but, more significantly, saw Liverpool go five points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal.

Meanwhile Burnley boss Sean Dyche was left bemoaning his side’s lack of good fortune.

Liverpool had gone in at the half-time interval level, although it was a scoreline that even the most ardent home supporter would have admitted was harsh on Burnley.

With just two away points to their name all season — from a still impressive tally of 31 — Dyche’s team opened the game aggressively and took the lead in just the seventh minute.

Right back Matt Lowton crossed low into the area from the wing and, after Andre Gray narrowly missed making contact, Barnes slid in ahead of his marker to force the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Burnley, without a victory at Anfield since 1974, would have hoped to reach the interval without conceding an equaliser, and looked well on course for that target for the majority of the half.

Not until the 45th minute did Liverpool enjoy a ‘shot’ on target, and that was actually an over hit defensive header from Burnley’s Joey Barton which forced Heaton into a comfortable diving save, his first of the game.

But a minute into first-half injury-time, Liverpool claimed an unlikely equaliser which raised the mood around the stadium.

Origi, starting in place of the injured Roberto Firmino, crossed from the left and Wijnaldum made a lazy attempt to control the ball, flicking out a boot and benefiting from a fortunate rebound from defender Ben Mee, before drilling home an unstoppable finish from six yards.

Even before the goal, Burnley’s crosses from the right had caused concern, with Gray’s chip almost finding Barnes after five minutes.

Solid at the back, Burnley also looked the more likely to score a second goal after Barnes’ opener.

But the second half opened with Liverpool in a far more determined mood, although their suspect defending always gave Burnley hope.