CRYSTAL PALACE 1 – 3 LIVERPOOL
Crystal Palace: Nketiah 90+4’ (pen)
Liverpool: Mac Allister 39’, Wirtz 53’, Isak 88’
Pre-Match
Yes, we have another match, and yes it is also away. After a string of home matches, we’re still well within the period of two matches a week, and it is Sunday so here we are. Facing our once again bogey team in the south, Crystal Palace. And after two losses in the past week, things are feeling a little more precarious than they were going into the Arsenal match. There might be some concerns at the back
that don’t involve Jeremy Jacquet or Ronald Araujo, but Isak is at least still firing, and Iraola has his work cut out for him with Szoboszlai being fit and Ryan Gravenberch still dealing with some pain. Let’s see what the Eagles have for us today, and not the giant ones that are great saviors.
First Half
The teams are out in a grey day in south London, and there’s another ceremony for Remembrance Day with the poppies and pomp before the match is set to kick off. Palace have lost their last three matches, so there’s a chance we can get back to the winning ways against them. We take possession and off we go, winning a corner early on through Barcola, but Szoboszlai’s effort goes well beyond the scrum in front of goal and it feels as early there as it is here in California (it’s not, it’s fine). Isak is pulled down on the touchline and Liverpool are awarded a free kick that gets a lot closer to the box than that corner did, but is still needing a fair bit of recycling to get back into a productive place. It has been all Liverpool in these opening ten minutes. A goal is probably coming, and more likely for us than for them.
Not like that – Palace wrangle back some control and make their first chances of the match in the 17th minute, testing Alisson twice in the space of a minute, with one effort hitting the crossbar and then another by Yeremy Pino from short distance getting saved. Remember I said I wanted a goal for us, not for them. Araujo wins the first yellow card of the match after he goes in a little recklessly on a Palace player, and it looks much worse than it probably was. Palace are more in this match now in these next 25 minutes, as play switches quickly end to end, but Liverpool have been more of a threat as we reach the half hour mark. We just need to find the back of the net instead of the goalkeeper or defenders.
The universe starts to test us as Crystal Palace appear to score through Strand Larsen, and the striker wheels off to kick the corner flag in celebration, but the goal is ruled offside and disallowed. Liverpool are given another chance to do what Palace are getting better at – taking their chances and playing on the front foot. Barcola misses a lovely shot on goal that would’ve put Liverpool ahead, but the frustration continues as Palace move back towards Alisson and test the Brazilian once again. This is a game of less frustrating fouls than last week, as Gakpo is fouled just outside the box in front of the corner flag and another free kick is given to Szoboszlai to take, and the effort finds MAC ALLISTER TO SCORE! The universe IS listening! Liverpool lead in the last minutes of the half! Palace win a couple of corners after Alisson is tested again, but the Brazilian has been on one of his best days so far. There’s three minutes added to this half, but Szoboszlai goes down with what looks like a foot injury and Trey Nyoni looks to be getting ready to get on, but the midfielder appears to be able to continue – at least until the end of the half.
Second Half
Everyone comes back out for the second half, including Sz0boszlai, and the match continues for the second half. Palace are back to being a threat as they look for an equalizer and win a free kick in a good position for them, but the delivery is not good enough for the Eagles. We’re only five or so minutes into the second half though so there’s time to build on our lead and hopefully take the wind out of their sails for once. It only takes three more minutes before FLORIAN WIRTZ FINDS THE NET! Araujo wins the ball, sends it to Barcola to set up Wirtz, and LIVERPOOL MAKE IT TWO! This Palace side has apparently conceded 11 goals so far in the league so you know what, we deserve this second goal, as a treat.
A third goal may just be on the cards as Liverpool gain a little more confidence after that second goal, but Barcola goes in for a messy tackle that earns him a yellow card as Palace break away. The hosts have another good chance as we switch off briefly, but they can’t stop themselves from shooting right at our keeper, which is good for us. We do need to be a little more mindful of where our limbs are going during these tackles as Mac Allister gets away with one after winning the ball from Wharton – if this is in response to how we were treated last weekend, I’m not crazy about it.
We’ve crossed the hour mark and Palace look a little bit bereft, but Liverpool look no closer to a third goal. Iraola makes his first changes, bringing on Nyoni to replace Szoboszlai, and Victor Muñoz replacing Barcola. Adding a little speed on the side and Muñoz’s ruthless streak can only be a benefit after the Spaniard has been recovering from injury. This Palace side a big way away from the side that gave us trouble last season and the one before, which is a relief to be honest. Rio Ngumoha is also preparing to come on, likely for Isak or Gakpo, and the change is made for Gakpo indeed just after the 75th minute. Jacquet finds himself out of position and then gets beaten, making a rare mistake and allowing Palace to get in front of Alisson again and he steps up to make two more saves. Alisson has been immense today after struggling much of this season so far, and that kind of presence is a big part of why Palace look so insecure on the pitch today.
Muñoz gets booked for diving, Mac Allister gets booked for supporting him, and you know what, fair enough. This is why we’re maybe a little more soft on the pitch, because we don’t get the calls we want anyway, so sometimes you have to make a meal of it. The Traveling Reds seem fine with it, serenading Macca as the play resumes. Just when Palace look really beaten, Isak twists the knife, SCORING A THIRD! Four minutes are added to the end of this half, and all the Reds have to do is maintain composure, but Palace look no closer to a single goal. Just kidding, they win a penalty in the dying minutes of this match and they score.
Final Thoughts
We did do the thing! Alisson had one of his best matches of the season so far, against a team that is in the relegation zone, and three points after a frustrating week previous. Let’s go.
