Liverpool made a trip to Crystal Palace for Sunday’s Premier League game with the intention of closing the gap marginally with Man City.
Crystal Palace under the new management of Patrick Viera has been great looking side. The Eagles now play possession-based football and offensively a dangerous-looking side.
But Liverpool dominated the game from the start of the kick-off. Van Dijk thumped a header into the top-left corner to get a deserved lead in the 8th minute.
The 2020 Premier League champions played with complete pleasure to put the home side on backfoot.
In the 32nd minute, Liverpool made it 2-0 with courtesy of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal, a lovely passing move ends up with Robertson in acres of space on the left.
It was Robertson’s second assist of the match. The Scotsman has been causing all sorts of problems to the Palace defense.
After the interval, Viera’s side made some serious opportunities. And 10 minutes into the second half, Crystal Palace got their goal and continued their pressure on Liverpool.
The Reds were cruising in the first half but in the second half, the home side were clearly testing Klopp’s side’s mentality and physicality.
Liverpool were rattled by Crystal Palace in the second half until a controversial penalty call by referee Kevin Friend. After a lengthy VAR delay to check Guaita’s contact with Jota in the penalty area, the referee goes to the monitor to review the footage himself and gives a penalty.
Fabinho scored from the penalty spot to make it 3-1 right at the death. A soft penalty was dispatched to seal the points for the Reds.
Liverpool now stays in the toes of the title race with Man City. Guardiola’s side’s lead is cut short to nine points with the Reds having a game in hand.
Key Numbers
Since 2017 Liverpool have beaten Crystal Palace in each of ten Premier League games. This also equals their longest winning run against a side in the league. Previously, been 10 vs Bolton between 2007-2011 and also an ongoing run against Wolves with started in 2011.
Likewise, Crystal Palace’s 10 games loosing strike against Liverpool in the topflight is their longest losing run against a specific opponent. The Eagles surpassed a nine-game run against Tottenham between 2015-2019 previously.
For the first time under Patrick Viera’s management Crystal Palace have lost consecutive home matches in Premier League this season.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool: Post match reactions
Klopp speaks on the switch that happened in Liverpool’s performance.
It was a bit Jekyll and Hyde football today, to be honest. We saw how good we can be – we were incredibly good in the first 35 minutes, I would say.
The chances we gave them in the first half were pretty much produced by us, the wrong pass, bah, bah, bah.
So, all of a sudden the game opened up and then you have to fight back, that’s what the boys did. We were brilliant for 35 minutes and the opposite in the rest of the game.
Klopp’s reaction on the relief of ‘putting the game to bed’ with the late penalty.
A massive relief. I didn’t see it back but I don’t think I have to because VAR thought it’s a penalty, the ref saw it as a penalty.
A big three points today for us, really big.
When asked about being unbeaten while Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah have been away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
You are right that we did it without them, but that made it so intense. You have to create, if you want, kind of a new football because if you don’t have that maximum speed on the wing, which obviously Sadio and Mo have, if you don’t have that all of a sudden you have to change how you get there in these areas. And the boys did really well.
Klopp speaks on the importance of going into the international break in such a positive mood.
I just can speak for me: very important! That’s what football’s all about.
What’s next for Liverpool?
Liverpool will head into the winter break and would play next Championship side, Cardiff City in FA Cup clash at Anfield two weeks after.
