Liverpool edge out Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace picked up their first win of the season when they beat unbeaten Tottenham 3-0 last week. Today, they had to face another undefeated team, as they had traveled north to meet Liverpool, who had changed three men in the back line in relation to the 3-0 victory over Leeds.
The visitors were about to get a dream start to the showdown after a real game of clutter from Liverpool. On several occasions, the home team did not fend off a set piece at all, and eventually a balloon ball was played to the back post.
Here Wilfred Zaha completely overprinted James Milner, and when Alisson had come on the middle, it looked like a lead to the away team, when Zaha just got the ball pricked over the Brazilian goalkeeper. However, Alisson made a spectacular save.
Liverpool, however, quickly shook off the small shock, and after a quarter of an hour
Jordan Henderson was close to bringing the home team ahead after a good attack that led to Sadio Mané hitting a perfect post to the back post, where the Liverpool captain came in full sprint. He finished first, but the ball sat right on Vicente Guita.
The home team started to focus more on the game, but it was difficult to play until the open goal chances. Liverpool came up with a lot of good finishing opportunities, but every time the ball was sent off towards goal, a Crystal Palace player always came across and blocked the finish.
Ten minutes before the break, the score should also have fallen, when Henderson sent a cross into the head of a completely free Thiago, who, however, sent the finish straight to the compatriot in the guests' goal. However, Diogo Jota made a spectacular save.
Shortly before the break, however, the goal came. Mohamed Salah was completely free on a corner kick, but Guita again dished up with a good save in the goal. However, the return smoked straight into the feet of Mané, and unlike Jota, the Senegalese did not abuse the big chance and he made it safely to 1-0. It was also Mané's number 100 goal for Liverpool, and he also broke the Premier League record for scoring a goal against the same opponent in most games in a row.
The crowd at Anfield could therefore enjoy a lead to the home team at the break.
We had to go a little over 20 minutes into the second half before we really got a goal chance again, and it came again after a return from Guita. Naby Keita reluctantly made way for Thiago on the pitch. The ball landed at the feet of Salah, who was completely unmarked in the box.
A few minutes later it was Crystal Palace who got a huge chance. Substitute Odsonne Édouard was suddenly completely free in the Liverpool field and he only had Alisson left to pass, but the Frenchman tried to tame the ball rather than finish. He should not have done that, because he completely missed his taming, and then Alisson could get the ball boxed away.
Instead of an equalizer, the home team took the lead with 2-0, and again the score came after a corner kick. Virgil van Dijk got the ball on with his back, and then Salah stood completely free in the back of the field. Here, the Egyptian did not fail as he with a hard finish in the short corner sent the ball past a bouncing Guita on the line.
A few minutes later, Édouard again got a huge chance to bring Crystal Palace back into the match as he got off in depth. Under strong pressure from Ibrahima Konaté, he still sent a good finish away, but again Alisson proved to be a safe last bulwark when he saved the attempt.
A few minutes before time, the match was finally decided after a dream from Keita. Guita boxed the ball away after a corner kick, but the ball only reached the field edge, where Keita fled to it. The ball took a nice arc over in the long corner, and then it was 3-0 at Anfield.
That was the result of the match, and Liverpool therefore goes up to an instant first place alone. Crystal Palace have to settle for a 13th place.