Gerrard brace seals Reds win

Burnley will be playing Championship football next season after a 4-0 defeat against Liverpool at Turf Moor confirmed their relegation.

Steven Gerrard opened the scoring early on in the second half and grabbed his second with a superb long-distance strike before Maxi Rodriguez and Ryan Babel scored to leave the Clarets seven points off safety with just two games remaining.

Burnley made just one change from the 2-1 loss to Sunderland last weekend with David Nugent recovering from a hamstring problem to return to the starting line-up in the place of Chris Eagles, who had to settle for a place on the bench alongside last week's goalscorer Steven Thompson.

Liverpool made four changes from Thursday's Europa League defeat to Atletico Madrid. Daniel Ayala, Alberto Aquilani and Ryan Babel replaced Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Lucas and Yossi Benayoun, while David Ngog missed out with a back injury, so Dirk Kuyt played the lone striker role with Maxi Rodriguez starting on the right wing.

Rafael Benitez's men began the game as the better side and could have been through on goal had it not been for Mears. Babel raced down the left wing and cut inside into the penalty area, only to be stopped in his tracks by Mears who put in a last-ditch challenge to concede a corner as the Dutchman shaped to strike at goal.

Agger continued in the left-back position as he has done in recent weeks and he showed his attacking intent early on. The Dane combined with Kuyt on the left wing before Mears was again on hand to clear the ball out for a corner. However, from the resulting corner, Gerrard's delivery was poor and Cort headed clear at the near post.

Aquilani was involved in a clash of heads with Cork after seven minutes but soon recovered to almost set up Kuyt for the opening goal of the game. The Italian whipped in a decent cross into the area towards Liverpool's lone striker who couldn't connect with his near post header.

Babel posed a threat to the Burnley back four in the opening minutes and had a good chance of opening the scoring after 18 minutes. The Dutchman cut inside from the left wing past Mears but could only drag his right-footed strike wide of Jensen's left-hand post.

Liverpool's young defender Ayala was a surprise inclusion ahead of Kyrgiakos and he could easily have allowed Burnley to take the lead. Just a minute after committing a clumsy foul on Fletcher, the Spaniard bundled Elliott to the ground on the edge of the area, but his blushes were spared when Fox's left-footed strike was equally as bad as he struck well wide of goal.

Burnley struggled to find a way past the Liverpool defence in the first half hour but Fletcher came close to scoring in emphatic style. Fox's inviting cross from the left wing found the Scotland international in space in the area but he was called offside after attempting an ambitious overhead kick.

Just two minutes later, Fletcher was involved again and had Burnley's best chance of the first half. Paterson curled an excellent cross into the box towards the Burnley forward, but after outmuscling Carragher and leaping above him, he could only direct his powerful header over the crossbar.

After a couple of chances for Fletcher, it was Gerrard's turn to have a couple of chances in quick succession. The Liverpool skipper saw his fierce volley from the edge of the area blocked by Cork before playing a one-two with Aquilani only to be denied by Jensen with a low strike from inside the box.

Burnley put up a good fight in the first half and they had claims for a penalty turned down as the half drew to a close. Fox's driven cross from the left struck the chest and thigh of Johnson and there were appeals from the Burnley supporters for a handball but referee Phil Dowd waved play on.

The Clarets continued to put pressure on the visitors late on in the first half and almost went ahead through Cork. Mears whipped in an excellent cross from the right wing to the Chelsea loanee, who was unmarked in the area, but he wasted Burnley's best chance of the half by heading straight at Reina from eight yards out.

Fletcher had two good chances to put Burnley ahead in the first half and just a minute into the second half, he had another chance to score. Mears' delivery was missed by the usually unflappable Reina and the ball fell into the path of Fletcher at the far post but he failed to connect with the ball as Burnley wasted another chance.

Liverpool play their Europa League second leg against Atletico Madrid on Thursday which could have been the reasoning behind Benayoun only making the bench, but on 48 minutes, Benitez was forced to bring on the Israeli for Kuyt after he picked up a knee injury, which meant Babel was pushed into the lone striker role.

Burnley had not kept a clean sheet in 24 Premier League games coming into the match and that run was to continue. Gerrard played a neat one-two with Benayoun before firing right-footed at goal from 20 yards and the ball took a wicked deflection off Cort and flew into the corner of the goal, wrong-footing Jensen.

It didn't take long for Liverpool to pile more pressure on Burnley and Gerrard grabbed his second moments later in spectacular fashion. Aquilani played a long ball forward to the Liverpool skipper 25 yards out from goal and he brilliantly curled the ball over Jensen into the bottom left-hand corner to double the Reds' lead.

Burnley boss Brian Laws responded by bringing on Blake for holding midfielder Alexander but just a minute before his arrival, the Clarets went close through Nugent. The man on loan from Portsmouth was found in the area one-on-one with Reina but his first-time shot was well saved by the Spaniard.

Liverpool almost grabbed a third goal through Maxi after 70 minutes. The Argentine was put through on goal by Babel and took the ball into the area before attempting to catch Jensen out at his near post but the Dane was equal to it and palmed the ball away.

Fletcher was Burnley's main threat going forward and he was inches away from handing his side a lifeline. The Scotland international beat Carragher to the ball on the left side of the Liverpool penalty area before firing a low volley past Reina and against the post.

Maxi had a quiet game up until his chance on 70 minutes but he scored his first Liverpool goal a few minutes later. Aquilani combined with Benayoun before sliding an excellent pass through to the Argentine who smashed the ball first time past Jensen and into the far corner.

Liverpool looked comfortable after going three goals up and were able to make some substitutions to rest players ahead of their midweek clash against Atletico. Rafael Benitez took off Gerrard and Agger with Pacheco and Lucas coming on in their place, while Burnley brought on Thompson for Nugent in an attempt to score a late consolation goal.

Thompson had two late chances after replacing Nugent but it was not enough as Babel made it four in stoppage time. The Dutchman was sent through on goal by Lucas and coolly slotted the ball underneath Jensen to keep Liverpool's slim Champions League hopes alive and relegate Burnley.

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.