Striker David Nugent returned to Burnley’s starting line-up as the Clarets sought to stave off Barclays Premier League relegation against Liverpool at Turf Moor.
The on-loan Portsmouth forward came in for Chris Eagles after recovering from a hamstring problem which forced him to miss last week’s defeat to Sunderland.
Burnley knew failure to win would virtually condemn them to a swift to return to the Coca-Cola Championship, so poor was their goal difference compared to West Ham’s.
After the arduous Europa League trip to Madrid in midweek, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez sprang a surprise by giving teenage centre-back Daniel Ayala only his second start at the expense of Sotirios Kyrgiakos.
The 19-year-old made his first-team debut back in August but the last of his three first-team appearances came as a substitute in the defeat at Fulham in October.
Three other changes saw Alberto Aquilani, Ryan Babel and Maxi Rodriguez replace Lucas Leiva, Yossi Benayoun and David Ngog, who failed to recover from a back injury sustained against Atletico.
Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Duff, Cort, Fox, Cork, Alexander, Elliott, Paterson, Steven Fletcher, Nugent.
Subs: Weaver, Caldwell, Rodriguez, Blake, Bikey, Thompson, Eagles.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Ayala, Agger, Maxi, Aquilani, Mascherano, Babel, Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs: Cavalieri, Benayoun, Kyrgiakos, Lucas, Degen, El Zhar, Pacheco.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)