Liverpool returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday, November 8, inflicting a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat on the hosts and increasing pressure on manager Pierre Sage.
Goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak secured all three points for Liverpool, while Eddie Nketiah scored a late penalty for Palace.
The result left Palace bottom of the Premier League table with seven points from 10 matches, raising further questions about Sage’s position as the club struggles to arrest its poor run of form.
Liverpool, meanwhile, climbed to fourth place with 18 points, ending a two-match losing streak following defeats by Arsenal and Fenerbahce. The victory also gave manager Andoni Iraola’s side a timely boost ahead of the November international break.
Palace began brightly and threatened to take the lead through Yeremy Pino, whose close-range effort struck the crossbar. Jørgen Strand Larsen also found the net, but his goal was ruled out for offside.
Goalkeeper Alisson Becker proved crucial to Liverpool’s survival during Palace’s promising spells, producing several important saves, including a fine stop to deny Daichi Kamada.
Despite Palace’s early pressure, Liverpool broke the deadlock in the 40th minute. Mac Allister rose to meet a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick and directed a header into the net to give the visitors the lead.
Liverpool doubled their advantage nine minutes into the second half when Florian Wirtz finished a low delivery from Bradley Barcola after a swift attacking move.
Palace attempted to respond but struggled to convert their opportunities, with Alisson continuing to frustrate the home side.
The visitors put the result beyond doubt in the 89th minute when Isak finished a counter-attacking move initiated by Wirtz to make it 3-0.
Palace scored a consolation goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time after Milos Kerkez was penalised for a challenge on substitute Darío Osorio inside the penalty area. Nketiah converted the resulting spot-kick to make the final score 3-1.
The defeat compounded a difficult period for Palace, who had also lost 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in their previous league fixture after striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was sent off early in the match.
Sage, who took charge of Palace in June, faces mounting pressure as the club heads into the international break at the bottom of the table. His side will next face Coventry City on November 21.
Liverpool’s victory, however, was not without controversy. Manager Iraola criticised the decision to award Palace a late penalty, questioning the consistency of officiating and the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The result also highlighted the importance of Alisson’s performance, with the Brazilian goalkeeper’s saves preventing Palace from taking advantage of their early dominance.
For Liverpool, the three points restored confidence after successive defeats and strengthened their position among the Premier League’s leading sides. For Palace, the search for a turnaround continues, with their next fixture likely to be an important test of Sage’s ability to revive the club’s campaign.
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