As it happened: Palace 0-0 LFC

Premier League
Saturday 25 February 2023 - 7:45 pm
Selhurst Park
Palace0
0Liverpool
Show Match Events
23' Keïta
Clyne26'
45'↔️ Keïta off, Elliott on
66' Henderson
Schlupp off, Eze on ↔️70'
Mateta off, Édouard on ↔️70'
71'↔️ Jota off, Firmino on
71'↔️ Alexander-Arnold off, Fabinho on
76' Fabinho
81' Matip
84'↔️ Gakpo off, Bajcetic on
90' Robertson
Hide Match Events

Liverpool travel to Selhurst Park hoping to extinguish memories of the dismantling by Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

It's a rare Saturday night kick off for the reds, and it will be a late one back to Merseyside for the travelling fans.

The reds have won their past two league games 2-0 against Everton and Newcastle and need to continue collecting maximum points if they want to have any chance of breaking into the top four.

Both the Newcastle game and Real Madrid game were symbolised by fast starts from the reds who got themselves two goals up within 15 minutes.

A similar fast start will be welcomed, alongside a much more resolute defensive performance.

Joe Gomez, who had something of a horror show on Tuesday night, could make way for Joel Matip in defence.  Ibrahima Konate returned to training this week but this game could come too soon for him.

Here's how the game unfolded.

As it happened...

17:47 UK
As it stands

Crystal Palace are 9 points behind the reds, having played a game more, and are in 12th position.

Liverpool are 8th and are 7 points away from the top four, but they do have two games in hand over the teams at the top.  A win here and a win against Wolves in midweek would significantly shrink the gap.

The reds were held to a 1-1 draw when these two sides met earlier this season at Anfield.

Palace have four draws and 1 defeat in their last five Premier League games.  The reds have won two (their last two) and lost twice in their last five league games.

18:39 UK

Team news incoming....

18:53 UK
Four changes for the reds

Matip, Jota, Milner and Keita return.

Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Milner, Keita, Jota, Salah, Gakpo.

Subs: Kelleher, Fabinho, Firmino, Jones, Elliott, Tsimikas, Carvalho, Bajcetic, Williams.

19:04 UK
Crystal Palace team

The home team start with, amongst others, the former red Nathaniel Clyne.

Guaita, Mitchell, Guéhi, Andersen, Clyne, Olise, Ayew, Schlupp, Doucoure, Mateta, Lokonga

Subs: Whitworth, Ward, Richards, Milivojevic, Eze, McArthur, Hughes, Édouard, Ahamada

19:34 UK
Jurgen Klopp pre-match

On making four changes. (Two of which are definite injuries)

'We've got three games coming up and had a few games hence the changes.  Darwin had the shoulder problem from the Newcastle game - got another knock against Madrid - no chance for today.  Gomez also injured.'

 

19:43 UK
Teams are out

Liverpool in their away strip for tonight's game.

19:46 UK
KICK OFF

A pensive Jurgen Klopp looks on from the bench.

We are underway.

19:54 UK

7' Slow start to this game.  Liverpool with plenty of possession.

Crystal Palace seemingly happy to sit back and let Liverpool have it - have they not watched us this season?

19:57 UK
Chance

10' Gakpo operates as the water carrier, brings it forward, releases Salah who shoots and hits the side netting.

Think Gakpo wanted that one back.

19:59 UK

13' Matip with a sloppy pass to Trent, Trent with an even sloppier one to Mateta who doesn't convert.

Palace seemingly happy to wait for a Liverpool mistake and that was the first of the night.

20:04 UK
CHANCE

18' Jota with the volley from a ball that bounces back out to the edge of the area - but hit straight at Guaita

20:09 UK
Chance

22' Liverpool get a soft free kick, 30 yards out.  Robertson sends it in, goes to the back post.  Matip lifts it to the other post but that's a supremely tight angle and Jota heads onto the post from the touchline.

20:09 UK
Yellow card

23' Naby Keita booked for a challenge mid-way through our own half.

20:10 UK
Chance

24' Palace free kick and Guehi heads narrowly wide.

20:12 UK
Yellow card

26' Crystal Palace's Nathaniel Clyne booked for a challenge on Jota.  Edge of the box.

20:15 UK

28' Liverpool had that fortuitous free kick at the edge of the area.

Trent smashes it towards the goal - Jordan Henderson clears it with his head.

20:23 UK

37' Michael Olise with a great cross - a headed goal was a fraction away there.  Schlupp so close.

Naby Keita needs to be careful.  Already on a yellow, too slow on the ball and too slow with his challenges.

20:27 UK
Chance

41' Fast Liverpool counter-attack but it's a weak effort from Salah - easy for Guaita to claim.

20:28 UK
Palace hit the woodwork

41' Schlupp takes the ball off Trent far too easily and Mateta smashes it at the crossbar.

20:31 UK

45' Ropey back pass from Joel Matip.  Alisson rushes out to clear.

20:34 UK
HALF TIME

HT: Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool

Less said about that first half the better.  Needless to say there are better things I could be doing on a Saturday night.

Naby Keita looks like a red card about to happen.

Defence all over the place.

It's like a different team from the last five seasons.

20:48 UK
SECOND HALF

45' Naby Keita removed for Harvey Elliott.

20:50 UK

46' Elliot lifts in a cross - central and Jota almost gets the toe poke past Guaita.

20:52 UK
CROSSBAR

48' Jota shot blocked - only out as far as Palace who curls one on to the crossbar.

21:03 UK

60' It's been a marginal improvement this half.  The reds have had a couple of half chances as the game starts to stretch a bit.

But if it stretches at one end it stretches at the other too.  Liverpool have to be careful looking for this goal.

21:10 UK
Yellow card

67' Henderson booked.  The Liverpool captain hasn't done much running in the past ten minutes.  Surprised he hasn't been subbed.

21:15 UK
Subs

71' Trent replaced by Fabinho.  Jota replaced by Firmino.  Milner goes to right back.

Two changes for Palace too.  Schlupp and Mateta replaced by Eze and Edouard.

21:20 UK
Yellow card

76' Fabinho doesn't fancy chasing after Ayew so fouls him and collects a yellow card.

21:24 UK
CHANCE

81' Salah lays the ball forward to Gakpo but Guaita is out to stop Gakpo chipping it over him.

21:27 UK
LFC Sub

84' Bajcetic is on for Cody Gakpo.

21:27 UK

Elliot joins Firmino and Salah up front.

21:32 UK
Almost over

89' No real sense of urgency from Liverpool here which is very disappointing.

21:35 UK
YELLOW

90+3' Robertson booked.

21:37 UK
FULL TIME

FT: Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool

That was not quality Saturday night entertainment.  Distinctly average from the reds who go up to 7th.  Three consecutive Premier League clean sheets but apart from that - little positives to take.

21:50 UK
Updated table

22:07 UK
Klopp post match

'I liked the start of the game.  The passing was there.

'In the end we didn't threaten them behind the line enough.  In the end they had no shot on target.  We defended Trent's free kick ourselves.

'We had some chances, Jota, Cody's situation.

'I know nobody wants to know.  A usual game at Crystal Palace.  Normally we score one or two - but we didn't tonight.

'We were a bit predictable.  It makes it easier to defend.  There were too many situations in the midfield area - not getting behind the line.

'We defended the counter attacking moments well.  We had a couple of dangerous situations that we recovered well from.

'In the end, it's an away point. It's not brilliant but it's okay.

22:09 UK
Thanks for joining us.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  It wasn't a sparkling performance tonight but

I'll try and leave you with a positive.  Everton, Newcastle and Palace away.  Seven points from nine.  An improvement in results from the start of the season.  Three clean sheets.

But two more big big games coming up in the Premier League in the next week.  Need to get another 7 points from the next 9.



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