https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/1PWkbYhz/poster.jpg
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace: Reds battle back for another draw
Liverpool and Crystal Palace played to a stalemate in the Premier League match at Anfield on Saturday. Liverpool came back from being down 2-0 with goals from Mohamed Salah, who became the club’s all-time leading scorer in Europe, and Roberto Firmino. The goals also gave Liverpool its first away points of the season.
Which team did well?
Although both teams played well, Liverpool did slightly better in the match. They were able to come back from a one goal deficit and salvage a draw against Crystal Palace. This is a good result for the Reds, who are trying to keep pace with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
What tactics contributed to the draw?
Both teams had strong defenses, which contributed to the draw. Liverpool’s offense was also quite good, but they were unable to break through Palace’s defense.
Who was key in this match and consquences of their performance?
In this match, both teams had strong performances, but there were a few key players that stood out. For Liverpool, Sadio Mane was a key player. He had a hand in both of Liverpool’s goals, scoring the first and assisting on the second. For Crystal Palace, Wilfried Zaha was a key player. He scored their only goal and caused problems for the Liverpool defense all match long.
The consequences of their performances were that Liverpool maintained their unbeaten run, but they failed to win yet again. This has put them further behind in the race for the title. For Crystal Palace, they will be happy with the point, but will be disappointed that they couldn’t hold on for the win.
What we learned from Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
Liverpool’s title credentials in question already
Even putting the results aside, it’s Liverpool’s performances against Fulham and Crystal Palace were simply nowhere near the level of what Manchester City have displayed through their first 180 minutes. They fell behind the newly promoted Cottagers twice last week, and again on Monday they found themselves behind after conceding the game’s first goal for a sixth straight Premier League fixture (dating back to last season). Injuries are mounting up now as well, with Nuñez likely to be suspended for three games, at the same time Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara, Roberto Firmino and Curtis Jones, among other fringe players, currently unavailable. Man City led Liverpool by double-digit points almost midway through last season before taking the title race down to the final minute of the season, but it would be unwise to count on the two-time defending champions to slip up in such fashion again. The gap is four already.
Who could have done better in this match?
(157) Match Highlights: Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace – YouTube
Both Liverpool and Crystal Palace put in a good shift during their match, but there are always areas where players can improve. For Liverpool, Mo Salah was not as effective as he has been in previous games, while Palace’s Wilfried Zaha was well-contained by the Reds’ defenders. In the end, it was a hard-fought draw between two evenly-matched teams.
What can we take away from this game?
There’s no doubt that this was a frustrating result for Liverpool. They twice let a lead slip and had to settle for a draw against a Crystal Palace side who were there for the taking.
But, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not a disastrous result. The Reds are still unbeaten in the Premier League and remain top of the table.
There are positives to take from the game too. The team showed great character to come back from behind on two occasions and they could have won it in the end if not for some fine goalkeeping from Palace’s Vicente Guaita.
So, while it wasn’t the result we were all hoping for, there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Liverpool’s chances this season.