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35 mins Nunez shoots from 25 yards. Apparently Liverpool have now conceded their first goal in their last six Premier League games. You still won most of them, mind you.
Updated at 8.35pm BST
34 mins That goal wasn’t just against the flow of play; it was a complete affront to the flow of the game. But it was such a good result, not least because Alisson is arguably the best in the world at one-on-ones.
It was brilliantly done by Ebere Eze. He killed a defensive clearance, dodged elegantly away from Fabinho and sliced through Liverpool with a pass behind Phillips towards Zaha. He timed his run perfectly, cutting inside and placing an emphatic shot in the bottom corner. What a great goal.
Updated at 8.35pm BST
GATE! Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace (32′ Zaha)
Wilfred Zaha puts Palace ahead with a great goal!
31 mins I know he’s not the best defender in the world, I know that, but Alexander-Arnold’s passing range is unreal.
30 min: Chance for Salah! Alexander-Arnold finds himself in the middle of the field where he turns away from Schlupp and angles a superb pass over the Palace defence. Salah hits on the run, 10 meters from the goal, but heads directly to Guaita. It was another good chance and a ridiculous ball from Alexander-Arnold. He and Elliott have looked very good for Liverpool.
28 mins “Liverpool had nine tries in 24 minutes,” says Richard Hirst. “Does knowledge know the records?”
Is that my new nickname? I suppose I’ve had worse.
Updated at 20.29 BST
27 mins Clyne takes the ball off Elliott’s toes in the penalty area. It’s all Liverpool as it always was. According to the Premier League official site, Liverpool had 77 percent possession.
24 mins van Dijk has a bang from 30 meters. It hits well, but misses the mark.
24 mins “This is 0-1 (Robertson OG, 86′) in there,” cried Matt Dony.
23 min: Chance for Salah! Alexander-Arnold receives the ball on the right side of the room. He takes a touch and blasts a brilliant low pass to Salah, who opens his body and shoots a few yards wide of the near post. It wasn’t the easiest of chances, but he should have worked with Guaita.
22 mins Salah serves Alexander-Arnold, whose stinger is blocked by Guehi’s edge of the box.
21 mins Alexander-Arnold’s deep cross is forced back over the goal by Robertson under pressure from Clyne, but Ayew gets in front of Nunez to chip the ball away.
20 minutes Palace have calmed things down a bit, although the game remains very one-sided.
18 mins Eze goes through one on one before being denied by Alisson even though deep down everyone knew he was offside. The flag went up as soon as Alisson made the save.
Updated at 20:19 BST
17 mins Robertson makes an excellent run into the field on a long pass from Milner and blocks a shot from Ward. Diaz picks up the loose ball and eventually makes way for a shot that also hits Ward before spinning into Guaita’s arms.
15 minutes Nunez runs wide to the bottom right on a long pass from Phillips and blasts a low cross that’s well held by Guaita.
13 mins Palace are already toying with goal kicks, leading to some boos from the home fans.
10 mins Palace aren’t coming out of their third, let alone their half.
9 min: Two chances for Liverpool! Elliott danced past a couple of defenders on the edge of the box and fired a low shot that would have gone home were it not for Andersen’s excellent block in the six-yard box. Moments later, Nunez volleyed past the far post from a tight angle.
Updated at 20.10 BST
6 mins Palace’s 5-4-1 formation already looks like it’s about to turn into a 9-0-1. I don’t suppose Palace fans would appreciate the juxtaposition of 9’s and 0’s during a game at Anfield.
5 minutes Liverpool got off to a lively start. Salah runs off Mitchell’s right and plays the ball back to Elliott, whose shot is blocked by Andersen on the edge of the box.
3 minutes “Matip and Konate are injured and Gomez is still recovering?!” sniffs Peter Oh. “This is not good news for Liverpool’s defence. Good thing Klopp was able to find a Phillips, uh, screwdriver in the toolbox to try and fend off the Palace attack.”
2 minutes Milner caught Guaita on his through ball after putting that shot over the bar – I think he kicked his shin – and there’s a break in play where Guaita is dealt with.
Updated on 04/20 BST
1 minute: Chance for Milner! The old man almost puts Liverpool ahead after 55 seconds. Alexander-Arnold’s dangerous cross was boxed away by Guaita under pressure from Nunez. Milner steals the loose ball from Ayew, just outside the box, then slaps his left foot over the bar.
1 minute Peep peep! Palace gets the game going.
Jurgen Klopp’s pre-game interview
🗣️ “Because we don’t have another striker” 🤷♂️
Jurgen Klopp on why he handed Darwin Nunez his first Premier League start pic.twitter.com/fp4eVEmaDm
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2022
The players stroll onto the playing field, all wearing their game faces. Things are looking a bit gloomy on Merseyside with something called ‘rain’ in the air.
“Nunez looked very good until nowsays Brendan Large. “Is this the new first choice for Liverpool?”
Yes!
“I have a bad feeling about it (from a Liverpool perspective),” says Niall Mullen. “And if you look at the other contenders you get the feeling that if the Reds don’t fight back, we could just send the First Division trophy to the Etihad before the end of August.”
I was expecting Liverpool to get off to a shockingly quick start like they did last time they lost the title to City on the last day of last season. I still think they will, despite last week’s little fiasco. They will win 12-0 next Monday, we already know that.
Patrick Vieira’s thoughts before the game
“We can create chances, we can score goals” 💬
Patrick Vieira sees an exciting one ahead #MNF Liverpool vs Crystal Palace clash tonight 👇 pic.twitter.com/qvtdrCB8Ob
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 15, 2022
Thirty years ago today, the Premier League has begun. Since then, it has determined our lives for the richer and poorer alike. The most famous pictures have been everywhere these past few days, so our photo editors have gone in search of something a little more unusual. And they found some rare gems.
“I’m in your old precinct of it in London and I’m hoping to avoid going to a Palace supporters’ pub with my double King Kenny/Ken Dodd tribute gear,” says Ian Copestake. “Best to have a tickle stick with you to defuse any liveliness.”
Patrick Vieira starts tonight without a recognized centre-forward. But maybe he’ll have a new toy to play with soon.
Team News
Some interesting choices on both sides. Jurgen Klopp has left out Jordan Henderson, with Harvey Elliott and James Milner favored in midfield. Nat Phillips, who has played so many games in 2020-21, starts at centre-back. Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate are injured while Joe Gomez is only fit enough for the bench. And record newcomer Darwin Nunez starts at the front.
It looks like Patrick Vieira has switched to a back five, replacing Joel Ward Odsonne Edouard. That’s the only change from the Palace side who lost to Arsenal ten days ago.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alison; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Milner; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Substitutes: Adrian, Gomez, Tsimikas, Bajcetic, van den Berg, Keita, Henderson, Carvalho, Clark.
Crystal Palace (possible 5-4-1) Guaita; Clyne, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Ayew, Doucoure, Schlupp, Eze; zaha
Substitutes: Johnstone, Richards, Milivojevic, Olise, Hughes, Ebiowei, Plange, Mateta, Edouard.
referee Paul Tierney.
preamble
The fixture computer can really be a sick twist. Crystal Palace, looking to build on a good first season under Patrick Vieira, have had the toughest start of any team in the Premier League: an opener against New Arsenal last week, then Liverpool tonight and Manchester City at the end of August. They certainly have a winnable game at home against Villa on Saturday, but please can’t we go into that. I’m trying to sell a story here!
The point is, no one is giving Palace much of a chance tonight. If you’re into betting, you can get 16/1 on a Palace win and 6/1 on a draw. Having had the gall to win three straight games at Anfield between 2015 and 2017, Palace have lost ten straight home and away games to Liverpool.
That game was looking impressive even before Liverpool started the season with a sloppy, sluggish 2-2 draw at Fulham. Such an appearance has consequences. Liverpool players have had nine days to listen to people questioning their commitment to another season of heavy metal football. The backlash starts at 8 p.m.
Updated at 19.01 BST