Liverpool weathered a late storm to earn a 1-0 victory away to Crystal Palace, with an untimely injury to Alisson marring an otherwise positive afternoon.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool
Premier League (7), Selhurst Park
October 5, 2024
Goals
Jota 9′ (assist – Gakpo)
Not for the first time this season, Liverpool conceded an early goal only for it to be ruled out, with Eddie Nketiah clearly offside when he tucked Eberechi Eze’s cross in after just 22 seconds.
The Reds quickly found their groove and opened the scoring themselves in the ninth minute, with Kostas Tsimikas‘ beautiful inside ball finding Cody Gakpo, whose cross was stabbed home by Diogo Jota on his 100th start.
Palace’s misery was compounded by an early injury to right wing-back Daniel Munoz, who was forced off and replaced by Nathaniel Clyne in an awkward switch for manager Oliver Glasner.
It should have been 2-0 after brilliant work that sent Ryan Gravenberch through in the box, but after the Dutchman’s square pass found Jota, the striker somehow diverted it wide.
Liverpool needed Alisson to spring into action just before the break to deny Ismaila Sarr, and the Reds will have gone into half-time disappointed they were only 1-0 up.
HT: Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool
With Alexis Mac Allister booked in the first half and nursing a sore thigh, Arne Slot sent Dominik Szoboszlai on after the break, prompting a change of role for Curtis Jones who dropped deeper.
There was no shift in the momentum of the game, with Liverpool in control and composed in possession as they put together intricate moves looking to break down the Palace block.
But the Reds began to allow Palace into the game, which saw Alisson called upon a number of times with a lack of communication seemingly an issue.
Things got worse as Alisson picked up a hamstring injury and, exacerbated as Trent Alexander-Arnold forced him into an unnecessary clearance, Vitezslav Jaros was sent on for his Liverpool debut.
Fortunately they were able to hold on, with Jaros standing strong between the sticks, signing off for the international break with a 1-0 win to stay top of the Premier League.
TIA Man of the Match: Alisson
Referee: Simon Hooper
Crystal Palace: Henderson; Chalobah (Kamada 88′), Guehi, Lacroix; Munoz (Clyne 27′), Wharton (Hughes 60′), Lerma, Mitchell (Mateta 60′); Eze, Sarr, Nketiah
Subs not used: Turner, Ward, Kporha, Schlupp, Umeh
Liverpool: Alisson (Jaros 79′); Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas (Robertson 79′); Gravenberch, Jones (Endo 89′), Mac Allister (Szoboszlai 46′); Salah (Diaz 72′), Gakpo, Jota
Subs not used: Quansah, Gomez, Bradley, Nunez
Next match: Chelsea (H) – Premier League – Sunday, October 20, 4.30pm (BST)
Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool
