Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace for Saturday’s early kick off knowing that a victory will keep them at the top of the Premier League table. Five wins and one defeat from their opening six matches mean Arne Slot’s side have a one point lead over current champions Manchester City and last season’s runners-up Arsenal. Liverpool secured three points against Wolves in their last league fixture thanks to a Mo Salah penalty in the second half.
“Everyone is realistic enough, all the players they understand that six games into the season doesn’t give you a realistic view on the league table,” Slot said.
Crystal Palace will certainly be hoping that is the case. The Eagles sit 18th in the table having not managed a single win in the top flight so far. An encouraging 0-0 draw with Man Utd was followed by a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Everton as the Toffees came from behind to triumph at Goodison Park. Will Palace fare better against a different Merseyside club today?
Liverpool is looking to make it nine wins out of ten against Crystal Palace today, with former Premier League stars Alan Shearer and Paul Merson in agreement with their predictions.
Arne Slot’s side are once again in action in the early kick-off today as they make the trip to Selhurst Park, looking to keep their place at the top of the Premier League table. With the October international break following straight after this weekend’s round of fixtures, the Reds can make a big statement to the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal in this season’s title race.
With eight wins from his nine games in charge so far, Slot has hit the ground running since taking over from Jurgen Klopp during the summer. If he can make it nine out of ten later, Liverpool will be guaranteed top spot in the league for the next couple of weeks.
The Reds face a Palace side still yet to record a league win this season, with Oliver Glasner’s side in the relegation zone with just three points from their opening six games. Liverpool though knows all about the threat they could pose, with April’s defeat at Anfield still fresh in the memory for plenty of supporters.
Former Newcastle and England striker Shearer though doesn’t see a similar slip-up for the Reds on this occasion though. Making his predictions for Betfair, the Match of the Day pundit feels the Reds will continue their impressive form.
“Liverpool were not at their best last week vs Wolves, but they took all the points which is a good sign,” Shearer said. “They also followed that up with another win in the Champions League against Bologna.
“Palace have been a little bit disappointing in terms of what they’ve done so far this season, and I think Liverpool will have too much for them here.
“Selhurst Park is always a tough ground to go to but with the squad they have, I think Liverpool will have enough to get the points.”
Former Arsenal star Merson is in agreement with Shearer. Predicting a 2-0 win for the Reds, he told Sportskeeda: “I watched Liverpool beat Wolves last weekend, but I didn’t think they were great in that game. They got the win and that’s the most important thing though.
“It’s definitely been an unbelievable start for Arne Slot. However, barring Manchester United, all the teams they’ve faced so far in the Premier League have been teams expected to finish in the bottom half of the table.
“Crystal Palace are a funny team because they have a good result in them but they’re just not playing well at the moment. It’s not been what you’d have expected from Palace after their performances under Oliver Glasner last season.
“All things considered, I’m backing Liverpool to win here.”
Liverpool Dominate Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park
Diogo Jota’s first-half goal was enough to separate the sides, with the Reds dominating the majority of the match despite facing a Palace side in a desperate fight to get their first win of the season.
The game started quickly with Palace’s Eddie Nketiah being ruled offside just 22 seconds into the match. Liverpool’s first goal arrived in the 38th minute when a Cody Gakpo pass found its way to Diogo Jota on the edge of the penalty area, with the Portuguese forward coolly finishing past Dean Henderson.
Despite the early goal, Palace did have chances in the first half, with Eberechi Eze coming close to scoring a direct free kick. Yet the hosts struggled to get any rhythm going as they fell further behind on the scoreboard.
A Second Half of Frustration for Palace
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with Liverpool dictating the tempo and frustrating Palace. The Reds were able to keep the hosts at bay and maintained their dominance, although it was a much more tense performance than their first-half dominance may have suggested.
With their lack of goals, Palace became increasingly desperate to find an equalizer. Yet despite a strong performance from the hosts’ defenders, the Reds were able to contain their opponents and maintain their clean sheet.
A Crucial Win for Liverpool
The result at Selhurst Park extends Liverpool’s unbeaten run to seven matches and continues their impressive start to the season. The Reds are now top of the league on 18 points, two points ahead of Manchester City, who have a game in hand.
Despite the poor form of Palace, this was a tough match for Liverpool as they were forced to defend resolutely at times. However, they were able to secure a crucial win on the road and will be confident heading into the international break.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, will be left to rue a missed opportunity to get their first win of the season. They will need to improve their attacking performance if they are to avoid a relegation battle.
Looking Ahead
After the international break, Liverpool face a tough fixture against Manchester United at Anfield. Palace face a potentially easier test as they travel to newly-promoted Ipswich Town. The Reds will be hoping to continue their impressive form in their quest to win a first Premier League title since 2020, while Palace are still searching for their first win of the season.
