Wirtz and Isak Lead Liverpool to Win at Struggling Palace
Liverpool answered two defeats in a week with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday. It also leaves Palace at the foot of the Premier League table.
A week of losses, then a clean response
Liverpool arrived in south London after losing to Arsenal at Anfield the Sunday before. They had also gone down in midweek at Fenerbahce in the Champions League.
Andoni Iraola was relieved afterwards. “We needed this win, definitely,” he said. He added that scoring first was important and that his side controlled the second half.
How the game turned
Palace were the better side for stretches of the first half. Yéremy Pino, their best player on the day, hit the crossbar in the 18th minute after a low ball from Tyrick Mitchell. Jørgen Strand Larsen had a goal ruled out for offside, and Daichi Kamada was denied by Alisson.
Liverpool, though, looked sharper on the counter even while it was goalless. Adam Wharton had to make a saving challenge on Alexander Isak in the 26th minute.
Liverpool had started with a flurry of shots from distance. Bradley Barcola appealed for a penalty when Óscar Mingueza nudged him in the back, but the match report judged there was not enough in it.
The break came from a set piece. Dominik Szoboszlai whipped in a free-kick, and Alexis Mac Allister headed in near the end of the first half. The referee, Tony Harrington, had penalised Jefferson Lerma for a foul on Cody Gakpo in the lead-up. The match report called it a soft award, but the right decision. Palace fans were furious about it.
The second goal settled it. Bradley Barcola pulled the ball back low from the right, and Florian Wirtz hit it first time. That made it 2-0.
Isak added the third late on, striking past Dean Henderson from a Wirtz touch. Eddie Nketiah, a substitute, scored a late penalty for Palace. It was their first goal in four league defeats in a row.
Palace in a deep hole
The home crowd made little noise. The Holmesdale Fanatics have stopped their activities during matches to protest the way the club treats fans, so the atmosphere has been flatter than usual. Thousands left once Isak scored.
There were no boos at full time, and no obvious appetite among supporters to see Pierre Sage dismissed. Even so, his position looks shaky. He said he wanted to "adjust a few things in the winter transfer window" and insisted he would still be in charge after the international break. Palace then visit Coventry and host Hull.
Alisson was a bright spot for the visitors. He had wobbled in recent weeks, and this was a major plus for Liverpool.
Source: the Guardian