Liverpool secured all three points at Selhurst Park on matchday ten of the Premier League season without dominating proceedings throughout. Crystal Palace struck the crossbar early on, had a goal ruled out for offside and squandered several other good chances. The visitors were more clinical in front of goal, eventually putting the result beyond doubt with two second-half strikes.
Liverpool under pressure as Palace battle near the bottom
Liverpool arrived in south London under pressure following a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal and a 3-2 loss against Fenerbahçe. Iraola made five changes to the side that had featured in Europe, with Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai among those returning to the starting line-up. Florian Wirtz occupied the number ten role, while Bradley Barcola completed the attacking unit.
Szoboszlai partnered Mac Allister in a double pivot, with Ronald Araújo, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk and Milos Kerkez forming the back four ahead of Alisson. Ryan Gravenberch remained sidelined with a persistent heel problem, while Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitiké were also unavailable through injury.
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage opted for a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Jørgen Strand Larsen leading the attack and Yéremy Pino and Daichi Kamada operating behind him. Adam Wharton and Quinten Timber formed the central midfield partnership. The hosts were without suspended striker Jean-Philippe Mateta and injured winger Ismaïla Sarr.
Palace had slipped to 19th place after collecting just seven points from their opening nine matches. Recent defeats against Newcastle and Tottenham had increased the pressure on Sage’s struggling side.
Palace waste their chances as Mac Allister strikes
Liverpool started on the front foot, looking to stretch Palace’s defensive structure through sustained periods of possession. The hosts defended in a compact back five and aimed to exploit the flanks whenever they regained the ball. Liverpool’s right side proved particularly vulnerable to those quick transitions.
In the 15th minute, Szoboszlai tested Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson with a long-range effort. Pino then came close to opening the scoring after cutting in from the left and striking the crossbar. The Spaniard caused Araújo further problems shortly afterwards, but Alisson was alert enough to deny him.
Despite enjoying considerably more possession, Liverpool struggled to contain Palace’s attacking threat. The hosts repeatedly played through the visitors’ initial pressing line, with Wharton helping to launch dangerous moves through midfield and out wide. Liverpool were particularly exposed when their full-backs pushed forward, leaving space behind them.
Just after the half-hour mark, Palace thought they had taken the lead. Strand Larsen found the net from close range, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Kamada also had an opportunity to break the deadlock, but Alisson kept out his effort.
Liverpool finally made the breakthrough in the 40th minute. Szoboszlai delivered a dangerous free-kick from the right, and Mac Allister escaped his marker to head home at the near post. Despite Palace’s promising attacking play, the visitors went into half-time with a slender 1-0 advantage.
Wirtz doubles Liverpool’s lead after the break
Palace threatened on the counterattack shortly after the restart, but Wharton’s square pass towards Strand Larsen lacked the accuracy required to create a clear opening. Liverpool were far more ruthless with their next opportunity.
In the 54th minute, Barcola was released down the right and delivered a low cross into the penalty area, where Wirtz arrived to finish and make it 2-0. It was the German international’s first Premier League goal of the season.
Barcola’s change of position proved significant. Having spent much of the first half on the left, the Frenchman became a greater threat on the right after the interval. His pace and direct running unsettled Palace’s defence, while Wirtz repeatedly moved into the spaces behind the home side’s midfield.
Palace responded with attacking substitutions in an attempt to get back into the match. Their increasingly adventurous approach, however, also left more space for Liverpool to exploit on the counterattack.
Pino had another excellent opportunity to reduce the deficit late on. Chris Richards capitalised on a lapse in Liverpool’s defence and squared the ball to the Spaniard, but his first touch allowed Alisson enough time to rush off his line and block the shot.
Liverpool remained dangerous on the break. Isak initially saw an effort saved by Henderson before adding a third goal in the 89th minute. Substitute Víctor Muñoz combined with the Swedish striker down the right and delivered a low ball into the box. Wirtz helped it on to Isak, who finished confidently to make it 3-0.
Palace eventually found the net in the fifth minute of added time. Kerkez was late with a challenge on Darío Osorio inside the penalty area, prompting the referee to award a penalty. Nketiah converted from the spot to complete the scoring at 3-1.
Missed opportunities prove costly for Crystal Palace
The expected goals figures illustrate how little separated the teams in terms of chance quality despite Liverpool’s two-goal winning margin. Crystal Palace accumulated 2.38 xG, while Liverpool finished with 2.65 xG.
Palace could have taken the match in a very different direction during the first half. Their quick attacks repeatedly targeted Liverpool’s full-backs, exploiting the space left behind when the visitors committed players forward. However, a lack of composure in front of goal prevented the hosts from taking the lead.
Liverpool, by contrast, made better use of their opportunities. Mac Allister’s opener came from a set piece, while both second-half goals followed well-worked attacks down the right. Moving Barcola to that flank gave Liverpool another way to stretch the Palace defence and create openings.
Iraola’s side were far from convincing defensively. Palace repeatedly found ways to play beyond Liverpool’s midfield and create dangerous situations in the penalty area. The visitors ultimately conceded only once thanks to Palace’s wasteful finishing and several important saves from Alisson.
Liverpool climb to fourth as Palace slip to the bottom
The victory takes Liverpool to 18 points and lifts them provisionally into fourth place in the Premier League. After two consecutive defeats, Iraola’s team showed a marked improvement in their finishing, although their defensive organisation and vulnerability to quick counterattacks remain areas of concern.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, drop to the foot of the table with seven points following Sunderland’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea. Sage’s side created numerous opportunities against stronger opposition but failed to convert them until deep into stoppage time. Their lack of cutting edge, combined with defensive mistakes at crucial moments, denied them a possible share of the points and leaves them facing an increasingly difficult battle against relegation.
