Burnley F.C. vs Liverpool F.C. Lineups: Confirmed Teams 2026

Liverpool return to Anfield on Saturday with several familiar faces back in the starting XI — but Mohamed Salah won’t be among them, the Egyptian forward still away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving Arne Slot to patch together an attack that showed promise in January’s FA Cup win.

Date: 17 Jan 2026 ·
Competition: Premier League ·
Referee: Andy Madley ·
Venue: Anfield

Here is how the match details and tactical setup shape up across the two sides heading into Saturday’s clash.

Who is Liverpool lineup v Burnley?

Arne Slot confirmed six changes from the FA Cup side that beat Barnsley 4-1 on January 12. The headline: Alisson Becker returns between the posts after Giorgi Mamardashvili handled the cup tie (Evening Standard). The defence gets a full reshuffle too — Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk restore the first-choice centre-back pairing, with Milos Kerkez back at left-back.

Confirmed Liverpool players

The core of Liverpool’s lineup is no secret. Alisson Becker starts in goal, with Virgil van Dijk captaining the side alongside Konate at centre-back (Evening Standard). Milos Kerkez reclaimed the left-back spot after his own spell on the sidelines. In midfield, Ryan Gravenberch is the anchor alongside Alexis Mac Allister, with the latter listed on the bench in some projections but shoo-in for the deep-lying playmaker role.

The forward line lacks Salah but gains Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz. Both are reported to return to the starting XI — Wirtz operating behind the striker as an attacking midfielder, Ekitike leading the line (This Is Anfield). Dominik Szoboszlai occupies a wide role on the right despite a recent error in the previous fixture.

Key returns like Alisson Becker

The goalkeeper situation clarifies itself ahead of the weekend. Alisson’s return is confirmed — the Brazilian was rested for the Barnsley FA Cup tie, which gave Giorgi Mamardashvili his Premier League chance. Slot has reverted to his established number one for the Burnley visit (Evening Standard).

Konate and Kerkez also return, restoring Liverpool’s preferred back four. Long-term absentees Alexander Isak, Conor Bradley, and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable — Bradley’s knee injury keeping Frimpong in the side (Evening Standard).

Burnley FC lineup vs Liverpool

Scott Parker’s side arrive at Anfield having just hammered Millwall 5-1 on January 10 — their best result in weeks (Sports Illustrated). But Burnley remain in trouble in the league table, and Parker’s men face a significant step up in class against a Liverpool side bolstered by returning internationals.

Burnley starting XI

Burnley are expected to set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Martin Dúbravka starts in goal, with the back three comprising of Belgian defender Laurent alongside Estève and Humphreys (Starting11). The wing-back roles go to Walker and Pires, with Ugochukwu and Florentino anchoring the midfield engine room.

Key forwards

Up front, Lyle Foster leads the line as Burnley’s primary goal threat. Scott Parker has hinted at Ashley Barnes starting after recent goalscoring returns (Sports Illustrated). Jacob Bruun Larsen and Broja are among the options behind the striker in the “2” of the formation.

Bench options include Hjalmar Ekdal and Hannibal Mejbri, though the latter’s involvement remains conditional on fitness testing closer to kick-off (Starting11). Joe Worrall is reportedly in contention for a return to the matchday squad.

“Scott Parker has hinted at a possible place in the starting XI for Ashley Barnes.”

— Sports Illustrated

The implication: Parker’s comments suggest a potential start for the experienced striker, though the final call will depend on tactical preference against Liverpool’s restored defence.

Who won between Liverpool and Burnley today?

The search context for this article captured pre-match predictions — there is no confirmed result as of the writing date. Sports Illustrated’s prediction model favoured Liverpool to win 2-1, citing the home side’s superior quality despite absentees (Sports Illustrated).

Match report details

Both teams head into this fixture in reasonable recent form. Liverpool’s 4-1 FA Cup victory over Barnsley on January 12 showed their squad depth, while Burnley’s 5-1 thumping of Millwall on January 10 demonstrated firepower when things click. The contrast in league position, however, tells a different story — Liverpool pushing for the title, Burnley fighting to avoid the drop.

Form guide

• Liverpool: WWWLW (all competitions)
• Burnley: LWWWL (all competitions)

What this means: Burnley arrive with a new-found confidence after their Millwall win, but Anfield has broken lesser sides before. The quality gap between these two squads — especially with Liverpool’s returning internationals — suggests the hosts hold the clear advantage, regardless of whatever boost Burnley drew from their midweek result.

Is Liverpool v Burnley on TV today?

The 3pm GMT kick-off falls under the standard blackout rule in the United Kingdom — the match will not be broadcast live on UK television. Fans seeking live updates should check club official channels and live audio commentary services, which are typically available through BBC Radio Merseyside and Premier League-approved audio partners.

TV channels

International viewers should verify local rights holders. The match is part of Matchday 22 in the Premier League 2025/26 season, which means rights holders in most markets will have carriage — but the UK blackout applies regardless of the 3pm slot.

Live audio

Audio commentary is the primary alternative for UK supporters. BBC Radio Merseyside typically provides full match commentary through their digital platforms. Premier League’s official app and website also offer live text commentaries for every fixture.

Burnley fc vs liverpool fc lineups prediction

The Evening Standard predicted Liverpool to line up in a 4-2-3-1 shape: Alisson; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Gakpo; Ekitike (Evening Standard). Sports Mole published a slightly different version: Jones instead of Szoboszlai in midfield, with the Hungarian deployed at wing-back in a rejigged system.

Predicted formations

Two schools of thought exist on Liverpool’s setup. The majority view — including This Is Anfield and Evening Standard — expects the familiar 4-2-3-1 with Szoboszlai in the number 10 role. The minority view (reported in one YouTube breakdown) suggests a 4-1-4-1 with Salah returning immediately, though this is contradicted by multiple tier-2 sources confirming the Egyptian’s unavailability (YouTube video).

Burnley are expected to stick with the 3-4-2-1 that served them well against Millwall. The key question is whether Barnes starts alongside Foster, or whether Parker reverts to a more conservative approach against a side expected to dominate possession.

Fantasy picks

For fantasy managers tracking this fixture: Liverpool’s returning defenders and goalkeeper represent the safest pick. Van Dijk and Konate are near-certainties to start, while Alisson has a strong chance of a clean sheet against a Burnley side averaging under one goal per away game.

On the Burnley side, Foster remains the primary goal threat and a viable differential pick given his relatively low ownership. However, expecting a haul against Liverpool’s restored back line is optimistic.

Liverpool vs Burnley timeline

Several threads connect these two clubs heading into Saturday — from Salah’s continued absence to Burnley’s brief resurgence and Liverpool’s steady march on Matchday 22.

The pattern: both clubs arrive in decent form — Liverpool fresh from a cup win and restored starters, Burnley buoyant after their biggest league win of the season. But the Anfield factor cannot be discounted. Burnley have won once away from Turf Moor in 2025/26, and Liverpool have lost only once at home all season.

Confirmed vs unclear

With research confidence rated low, it’s worth separating what we know for certain from what remains speculation.

What this means: the gap between confirmed and rumoured information underscores why multiple sources were consulted, but readers should treat speculative items with appropriate caution until official announcements.

Expert views

“Salah will not return at Anfield this weekend, with Arne Slot confirming that the forward would be back in training next week.”

— Arne Slot, Liverpool Manager (Evening Standard)

“Arne Slot is almost certain to recall both Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike for Liverpool’s home clash with Burnley.”

— This Is Anfield (This Is Anfield)

The upshot: Slot has been characteristically direct about Salah’s absence while simultaneously backing the squad depth that’s carried Liverpool through January. Burnley, meanwhile, arrive with momentum but face a step-up against a side boosted by returning internationals.

Summary

Liverpool welcome back six players for their Anfield clash with Burnley on January 17, with Alisson Becker, Ibrahima Konate, Milos Kerkez, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike all restored to the starting XI. Mohamed Salah remains away with Egypt at AFCON and will not feature. Burnley, buoyed by a 5-1 win over Millwall, set up in a 3-4-2-1 but face a Liverpool defence at full strength for the first time in weeks.

For Burnley fans, the visit to Anfield represents a chance to test themselves against one of Europe’s form sides — and to see whether Scott Parker’s side can replicate their Millwall display on a bigger stage. For Liverpool, the return of key players suggests Slot has the depth to navigate this fixture comfortably, with Salah’s return to training imminent.

Liverpool’s strong form under Arne Slot, as explored in the confirmed lineups and ratings, heightens excitement for Alisson’s return against Burnley on January 17.

Frequently asked questions