Our picks

Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool | Talking Points

Another late show from Liverpool saw the table-toppers leave Selhurst Park with all three points on Saturday, despite a spirited Crystal Palace performance.

A tepid first 40 minutes burst into life just before the break when the hosts thought they had taken the lead through James Tomkins. After a free-kick was inadvertently flicked on by Gini Wijnaldum, Tomkins bundled the ball home. However, VAR adjudged Jordan Ayew to have fouled Dejan Lovren in the build-up, much to the dismay of the Palace faithful. Not the first time this season that the team at Stockley Park have saved Liverpool’s bacon.

Into the second half and it was Liverpool’s in-form player of the season, Sadio Mane, who stepped up to deliver the goods again. Andy Robertson’s ball into the box came to the Senegalese forward whose scuffed shot beat first Vicente Guaita and then the despairing Patrick Van Aanholt on the line.

The game seemed to be petering out into another Liverpool victory before the Eagles scored a superb team goal starting in their own half and culminating in Wilfried Zaha firing past Alisson to pull the home side level just six minutes from time.

However, based on Liverpool’s previous results this season, what came next almost inevitable. A James Milner corner was met by Virgil van Dijk and ended in a goalmouth scramble before the ball fell fortuitously to Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian rifled home through a group of bodies to send the travelling supporters into ecstasy.

The league leaders held on, albeit after Zaha missed a golden opportunity to restore parity again in stoppage time. Another gritty, determined win from a team who simply do not know how to lose.

Fergie time? How about Kloppage time?

Shocking puns aside, Liverpool’s record of scoring late goals in the Premier League is reaching unprecedented levels. Late winners against Leicester City, Tottenham, Aston Villa and now Crystal Palace are the reason the Reds have their seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Jurgen Klopp has instilled a never-say-die attitude into his players that will serve them well as the season heads into the busy Christmas period. This Liverpool side has a few similarities to some of Ferguson’s best Manchester Untied teams, and we all know what people say about teams that have a habit of playing badly and winning…will the Reds end 30 years of hurt?

Zaha makes a welcome return to form

The Crystal Palace talisman scored his first goal of the season to spark a dramatic final ten minutes, but while he still ended up on the losing side, it would come as a huge relief for Roy Hodgson to see his star player get off the mark after a difficult start to the campaign. He was a menace for Trent Alexander-Arnold all day and showed exactly why he was a target of Arsenal and Everton over the summer.

More defensive pain for Liverpool

Only one team (Tottenham) have kept fewer Premier League clean sheets than Liverpool this season – a shocking stat considering Liverpool’s success last season was built on having the league’s best defence. The Reds have now kept just one clean sheet since August and simply cannot rely on scoring two or more in every game if they are to win the league.

Is Roy the right man for Palace?

Roy Hodgson has done a decent job since arriving at Selhurst Park in 2017. He has built a side with strength in depth and has made them far too good for the drop in his three seasons at the club. However, can he take them any further? At 72 years of age, he isn’t getting younger, and club officials may be looking at younger, more exciting managers to take the club to the next season. However, such a move would be a huge risk, as proven by the misguided appointment of Frank de Boer two years ago.

Up Next

After a group decider against Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday night, Liverpool host Brighton on Saturday, while Crystal Palace travel to Burnley looking to end a run of five games without a win.

Dan Walker

21. Spanish and Economics student at University of Leeds. Jurgen Klopp worshipping Liverpool fan passionate about all things sport. Sub-editor and part of the 90MAAT analysis and transfers sub-teams.

90MAAT News Now

Premier League Table

90MAAT Social Media

ScoopDragon Football News Network

Search The Site