With a three team title race, the pressure is never on the teams that play first, it’s always on the teams that play second which means for Arsenal and Liverpool, the pressure was on. That especially applied to the Reds at Anfield in a week that can only be described as horrid. A draw against Manchester United in a game they should have won and a thrashing by Atlanta in a game they should have lost.
And then appeared Crystal Palace with all its history. For those who don’t remember, do google Crystanbul and for those that do remember, well you know the rest. And yet, the first half echoed memories of Atalanta and not Manchester United as the Eagles swept through the Reds. Both Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise wreaked havoc on the Liverpool defense, often toying and pulling them apart for fun.
It eventually led to a long passing move with Eze putting the final touches 14 minutes in as Anfield fell silent. Then Virgil van Dijk slipped.
Jean Phillipe-Mateta was clean through, his shot dinked over Alisson but Andrew Robertson appeared with a sensational clearance from over the line. Many hoped that would spur on Liverpool in the second half, but it wasn’t their day. Crystal Palace put up one heck of an exhibition of defending to deny them but often rode their luck at times.
That’s not to say, Liverpool didn’t have chances but it’s more to say that the Reds simply couldn’t take them thanks to a combination of poor finishing and excellent defending. In the end, Oliver Glasner earned himself a statement second win in charge of Crystal Palace.
Liverpool
Alisson: 6
His first game back after a long injury layoff and it had many hoping that Caoimhin Kelleher would be sent on to replace the Brazilian. It’s nothing against Alisson but he did look rather rusty on the ball even if his reflexes looked as sharp as they ever were. That was proven with a sensational, point-blank save from Mateta.
Connor Bradley: 4
Much like Wataru Endo in midfield, Conor Bradley had a horrid first half with Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise often running rings around him down that flank. He may have improved in the second half but an injury minutes into the second half saw him replaced by Trent Alexander-Arnold
Virgil van Dijk: 5
He slipped. An iconic, cult hero-esque Liverpool captain slipped….yet again….against Crystal Palace. Sure, it wasn’t Chelsea and sure, this time the slip didn’t turn into something much worse thanks to Andrew Robertson but imagine the scenes if it had. Beyond that, Van Dijk wasn’t at his best with Mateta and Eze causing a few problems for the Dutchman.
Ibrahima Konate: 5
Not his best performance in a Liverpool shirt, Konate did the best he could with the resources he had but with Conor Bradley often half-way down the field, he was outclassed a few times by Eze.
Andrew Robertson: 7
The star of Liverpool’s showing at Anfield tonight, Robertson was their creator in chief for the first half and saviour with a sensational goal-line clearance after Van Dijk’s slip. That didn’t change in the second half with the Scottish left-back, the best option Liverpool had down that left.
Curtis Jones: 4
A presence in midfield but in the end, Curtis Jones will remember this game for missing the sitter. Picture this; it’s 1-0, 74th minute and the Reds counter-attack. Jones is sent 1v1 against Henderson, and he simply can’t miss given the situation and the moment. Instead, he pokes his shot well wide as Anfield goes silent.
Wataru Endo: 3
While he has been solid over the last few months, this marked Wataru Endo’s worst performance in a Liverpool shirt. The Japanese midfielder was completely out classed at times and looked well off the pace, had his pocket picked several times and couldn’t find a teammate in Red. It seems that Jurgen Klopp also realised the same and replaced him with Dominic Szoboszlai.
Alexis Mac Allister: 6
Much like most of his side, Mac Allister’s performance tonight was one to forget. His passing as off at times, his positioning wasn’t great either but that changed after Szoboszlai replaced Endo. The Argentine was given the deepest midfield role and that allowed him to dictate play.
Mohamed Salah: 5
The man many expected to be the star against Crystal Palace, to bring back that incredible form he has shown in the past but in the end, it simply wasn’t to be. Not the Mohamed Salah performance many expected to watch when they switched on their TVs in the evening.
Darwin Nunez: 5
Not one to remember for Darwin Nunez. He had a couple of pops on goal but never really looked like testing either Dean Henderson or the Palace back three. The trio, often a five-man defense, dealt with the Uruguayan superbly on the evening. Eventually replaced by Cody Gakpo.
Luis Diaz: 5
The biggest threat to Dean Henderson and Crystal Palace’s goal in the first half, Luis Diaz proved to be a frustrating player for the Reds. He drove and danced into the box but then struggled to find the right pass or shot. It seems his problems in the final third haven’t gone away just yet. Eventually replaced by Diogo Jota.
Substitutes:
Dominic Szoboszlai: 5
Always available for the ball, Szoboszlai has lost the form that made him a beloved star early on in his Liverpool career and it showed off the bench. Not the Hungarian’s best performance.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5
Not quite his usual self yet, Alexander-Arnold still proved to be an upgrade over the talented but young and inexperienced Conor Bradley.
Diogo Jota: 5
Had the best chance that Liverpool were given all evening but luck simply wasn’t with the Reds’ as Nathaniel Clyne appeared from seemingly nowhere to block a guaranteed goal-bound shot.
Cody Gakpo: 6
A bright and bustling appearance of the bench, Gakpo may have earned himself a start in Liverpool’s next game as he proved to be a far better presence on the left as compared to Diaz. Might need to improve on that final pass but even then, that was a decent performance.
Harvey Elliot: NA
Did his best to influence the game but was sent on a smidge too late to do anything.
Crystal Palace
Dean Henderson: 8
Once upon a time, Dean Henderson’s performances for Sheffield United had many clamouring for him to become England’s number one. While life hasn’t quite been the same since, tonight he showed, against Liverpool, that the talent is still there. The keeper was at his very best, making more than half a dozen saves including a sensational point-blank effort to save a goal-bound Darwin Nunez shot.
Daniel Munoz: 7
The fact that he has played ever league game since arriving in January should say everything about Munoz and tonight showed why. Another solid presence in Oliver Glasner’s defense, Munoz shut down Luis Diaz on the left but could have done slightly better with Robertson and Gakpo.
Nathaniel Clyne: 6
Eventually replaced by Joel Ward, Nathaniel Clyne will be the hero in the eyes of Arsenal and Manchester City fans post-match especially after the block he made. A chaotic moment inside the Palace box led to Diogo Jota given an empty net to aim at but then, out of absolutely nowhere there was Clyne with a goal saving block.
Joachim Andersen: 6
A solid presence in that Palace, Andersen often goes under the radar because of Palace’s struggles this season but that should have changed now. Even if his side often rode their luck at Anfield, the Dane was central to the beautiful exhibition of defending that the Eagles put up.
Jefferson Lerma: 8
Dean Henderson was Palace’s man of the match but Jefferson Lerma gave him a tough tough fight for that award till the very end. Playing as a make-shift center-back, the former Bournemouth star was downright sensational as a front-foot defender. He was ever present with blocks, tackles and several interceptions, with that proving key in the end.
Tyrick Mitchell: 7
The Crystal Palace defense was on point tonight and that included young Tyrick Mitchell. The left-back is severely underrated in a talented Palace side but tonight was his showcase. The Englishman kept Mohamed Salah and Conor Bradley, alongside Eze, quiet for large parts of the game. A solid 7/10 performance from him.
Adam Wharton: 6
There’s something about Adam Wharton as he has the makings to be one heck of a footballer. That showed tonight as Mac Allister, Endo and Jones struggled to deal with the midfielder at times. This kid has got a bright bright future ahead of him and not all of it may be at Selhurst Park.
Will Hughes: 6
The playmaking presence in the midfield for Crystal Palace, Will Hughes’ job was to keep the ball, keep it ticking and keep it moving. He did that perfectly for his side tonight before being replaced.
Michel Olise: 7
There are truly wonderful players outside the top six and Michael Olise is one of them. His only major issue is injuries but when fit, the Frenchman is a true joy to watch. Today was one of those days and he dove-tailed perfectly with Eberechi Eze and Jean Phillipe Mateta. Played a key role in the goal and was eventually replaced by Jordan Ayew.
Jean Phillipe Mateta: 6
Of all the players to thrive under Oliver Glasner, few saw Jean Phillipe Mateta being the one. But the forward has turned into a key star for the Austrian, with several facets of his play improving. And yet, his finishing could be slightly better even if Alisson’s reflexes were borderline god like at times.
Eberechi Eze: 7
If Dean Henderson hadn’t made his half-dozen plus saves, then Eberechi Eze would be the man of the match and given the attacker’s injury issues, nobody saw that coming. Still, Eze remains an exuberant footballer when he’s on song and tonight, he sang a chart-buster. And against arguably one of the best teams in English football.
Substitutes:
Jordan Ayew: 5
Was sent on to replace Olise and did his best as a make-shift seventh defender, helping out Munoz with Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo.
Jairo Riedewald: 5
Was sent on to add bodies to that midfield and the Dutchman did just that, often in the way of key passes and shots.
Joel Ward: 5
Replaced the exhausted Nathaniel Clyne and continued the Englishman’s excellent work in defense.
Jeffery Schlupp: 5
Replaced Eberechi Eze and was a downgrade given the quality of the star he replaced but even then, Schlupp was a solid defense presence.
Odsonne Edouard: NA
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