Match Report: Liverpool 1-0 Crystal Palace
After yet another nervy finish to the game, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool managed to hold on to all three points from a solitary goal from Sadio Mane in the second half. The Reds were fresh from a draw against Watford in the previous round of the competition and were under pressure to pick up a positive result this weekend.
The German manager decided to rest a few key players, keeping in mind the qualifier against Hoffenheim on Wednesday and made a number of changes to his first team on the night.
Mohamed Salah came into the frontline to replace Daniel Sturridge. James Milner was used in the midfield as Emre Can was rested. Ragnar Klavan, Joe Gomez and Andrew Robertson managed to get a start in a much-changed backline alongside Joel Matip on the night.
It was quite evident from the first whistle that Frank de Boer’s side were going to set up deep and use Belgian star Christian Benteke as a target man to push the team into attack. Benteke started the game, playing on the shoulder of Matip but shifted to Klavan, where he had a bit more time on the ball.
However, he failed to create enough for his side as the likes of Andros Townsend were restricted to defensive roles. Liverpool’s newbie Andre Robertson, who made his debut for the Reds in the Premier League, was by far the most creative player for the side, putting in some insane crosses, and creating three chances in the first half, two of which should have been converted by Matip and Mane.
Both teams failed to break the deadline at the break and the onus was on Liverpool to score after failing to take more than a point from their first game. And just as Liverpool started to fasten things up, Palace started to drop deep and a mistake from Fosu-Mensah and some good work from Dominic Solanke, who replaced Wijnaldum after 71 minutes, helped Sadio Mane to his first clear chance of the game, which he gleefully put away.
The goal came minutes after Christian Benteke missed a glorious opportunity at the other end to give Palace the lead, after some good footwork by Loftus-Cheek on the right flank. Mane’s goal was enough for Liverpool to see the game off as Mohamed Salah helped them to keep the pressure up late in the game.
This was Liverpool’s first clean sheet against Palace in more than three games at Anfield and former Hull City man Robertson was awarded the Man of the Match quite deservingly so. Joel Matip was solid but the midfield of Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner and Jordan Henderson was just not good enough for the Reds.
Liverpool Player ratings:
Mignolet – 7; Gomez – 6, Matip – 8, Klavan – 6, Robertson – 8; Henderson – 6, Wijnladum – 5, Milner – 5; Mane – 7, Firmino – 6, Sturridge – 7. (Solanke – 7, Lovren – 6, Salah – 7)
There were mixed feelings, mostly of relief from the Reds supporters who took to social media to express their thoughts on the match. Here is a collection of the best tweets of this game:
Don't get the 'we didn't play well' stuff I'm hearing..
Shots LFC 23 – CP 4
Shots on target LFC 13 – CP 1Should have scored more, sure.
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) August 19, 2017
Haven't seen #LFC full-backs put crosses of menace in since Fabio Aurelio and Steve Finnan.
Alexander Arnold and Andrew Robertson have it.
— Ambassador Das (@srijandeep) August 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/VintageSalah/status/898935433391775744
https://twitter.com/dboetan7i/status/898935604401946624
https://twitter.com/zackab3/status/898935903728541696
https://twitter.com/ReelChevy/status/898935884124479488
https://twitter.com/danghorbal/status/898954035339812864
Robertson is the first player to create three chances in a match for Liverpool this season.
— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) August 19, 2017
4 points from 2 games and a 2-1 road victory in CL…not a bad start considering Lallana injury and Coutinho catastrophe #lfc
— LFC Football Talk (@PLfootballtalk) August 19, 2017
He's hardly Maldini but the fact that Robertson is organising Milner is hugely positive #LFC #LFCCRY
— Stevey J (@SteveyJackman) August 19, 2017
