Crystal Palace 1-3 Liverpool: result and report

The Pundit picked Liverpool (53%): correct

Report

Liverpool won 3-1 at Selhurst Park, though the two-goal margin makes the afternoon look easier than it was. Crystal Palace created almost as much as the winners. Liverpool were simply better at taking their chances.

Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring on 40 minutes from Dominik Szoboszlai's pass, so Liverpool went in ahead at the break. Florian Wirtz doubled the lead on 54 minutes after Bradley Barcola set him up.

Crystal Palace were still only two goals behind until the 89th minute. Then Wirtz turned provider for Alexander Isak to make it 3-0. Eddie Nketiah's penalty in the fifth minute of added time came too late to change anything.

Crystal Palace: chances made, chances missed

The score suggests a clear gap, but the chance numbers were close to level. Liverpool finished with 2.65 xG to Crystal Palace's 2.57. Each side created five big chances, and Liverpool's 20 shots barely edged Crystal Palace's 19.

The difference came in front of goal. Crystal Palace missed four of their big chances while Liverpool missed three, and the home side also hit the woodwork. Alisson made six saves at the other end, because Crystal Palace kept testing him even after falling behind.

That does not mean Liverpool were fortunate. Their sustained pressure was higher on average across the match, even though Crystal Palace produced the single most intense spell of the afternoon.

Liverpool's match-winners

Wirtz was the player Crystal Palace could not contain. He scored the second goal and created the third, so he had a direct hand in the moments that settled the game.

Szoboszlai was named player of the match with a rating of 8.31, despite not scoring. His pass for Mac Allister's opener gave Liverpool the lead their finishing then protected.