Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal at Anfield since his British-record £125 million move to Liverpool as the Reds closed in on Champions League qualification with victory over Crystal Palace.
Forward Isak, who missed 22 matches in all competitions this season with a broken leg, collected Alexis Mac Allister’s mishit shot inside the box and bounced a finish over goalkeeper Dean Henderson to open the scoring in the 35th minute against opponents who had beaten Liverpool three times this season.
Third-choice goalkeeper and former Palace player Freddie Woodman made a fine save from Jean-Philippe Mateta’s header to start the sequence leading to Liverpool’s second goal, the Eagles fan’s team setting off on a blistering counter-attack that culminated in full-back Andy Robertson entering the box and finding a corner of the net with a clinical finish.
Palace replied in controversial fashion 19 minutes from time when Woodman denied Ismaila Sarr in a one-on-one before going down hurt after appearing to catch his studs in the turf, with Daniel Munoz finding the unguarded net from outside the box as the goalkeeper remained prone.
Jorgen Strand Larsen then shot against a post from inside the box but Liverpool restored their two-goal cushion when Florian Wirtz lashed in during second-half added time from Mac Allister’s hold-up play.
Mohamed Salah injury: ‘What a sad end’ for forward at Liverpool
Isak’s goal and Robertson’s strike in the Scotland international’s final season at Liverpool had made this a feelgood afternoon for the home fans at Anfield before Mohamed Salah was forced off injured.
“This could be the end of him in a Liverpool shirt,” former Aston Villa and Tottenham boss told Sky Sports of the club icon, who will leave at the end of the season.
“You can see him grab his left hamstring. What a sad end for him. What an ovation there will be for him.”
Salah smiled ruefully as he took to the turf to await treatment and the four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner looked emotional as he made his way off, applauding the four corners of the stadium.
Liverpool team vs Palace
Goalkeeper Alisson remainsedout for Liverpool for a seventh straight match in all competitions with the Brazil international’s second hamstring injury of the season.
Established understudy Giorgi Mamardashvili was out for weeks with a knee injury sustained during the last-gasp 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday, so third-choice goalkeeper Woodman – once part of Palace’s academy – deputised.
Mac Allister came in for Ryan Gravenberch and centre-back Joe Gomez was on the bench after missing the win at Everton six days earlier.
Midfielder Wataru Endo has returned to training following a long-term injury and should play again before the end of the season.
Defenders Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni (both knee) and forward Hugo Ekitike (Achilles) are long-term absentees and forward Jayden Danns remains out with a hamstring issue.
Liverpool starting XI: Freddie Woodman, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexander Isak, Alexis Mac Allister, Mohamed Salah, Curtis Jones, Cody Gakpo, Andy Robertson
Liverpool substitutes: Armin Pecsi, Joe Gomez, Milos Kerkez, Federico Chiesa, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch, Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha, Callum Wright
Crystal Palace full line up vs Liverpool
Midfielder Adam Wharton was back in one of four Crystal Palace changes, having missed their 0-0 draw at home to West Ham five days earlier.
Daichi Kamada, Mateta and Sarr also came in. Striker Eddie Nketiah (hamstring) and on-loan Aston Villa forward Evann Guessand (knee) remained out.
Nathaniel Clyne is still one game away from 250 Palace appearances, remaining an unused substitute following illness.
Crystal Palace starting XI: Dean Henderson, Daniel Munoz, Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Jaydee Canvot, Tyrick Mitchell, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Brennan Johnson, Ismaila Sarr, Jean-Philippe Mateta
Palace substitutes: Walter Benitez, Jefferson Lerma, Yeremy Pino, Nathaniel Clyne, Will Hughes, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Franco Sosa, Chadi Riad, Justin Devenny
What’s next? Liverpool, Crystal Palace fixtures, schedule
The result ensured Liverpool are level on points with third-placed Manchester United and inside the places guaranteeing Champions League football next season by eight points with four matches of their campaign remaining.
Palace have five games left to play and are three points behind 12th-placed Sunderland in 13th, with this their second defeat of a three-match winless run in all competitions.
Liverpool are next in action away to Manchester United in eight days’ time. Palace play Shakhtar Donetsk in Krakow in the first leg of the Conference League semi-finals on Thursday.
| Date | Opponents | BST kick-off time | ET | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace | Thurs, Apr 30 | Shakhtar (A) | 20:00 | 15:00 | 12:00 |
| Liverpool | Sun, May 3 | Man United (A) | 15:30 | 10:30 | 07:30 |
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace stats
- Liverpool lost the fixture this season on penalties in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, 2-1 in the Premier League at Selhurst Park in September and 3-0 at Anfield in the EFL Cup fourth round in October
- They had been winless in their preceding three Premier League home games against Crystal Palace (D2 L1), having won five in a row against them at Anfield immediately beforehand
- As well as seven victories in their last 11 Premier League games (D1 L3), Liverpool have won three league games in a row for a fourth time this season
- Salah had scored in each of his last three Premier League starts (three goals), having only netted twice in his previous 14 starts
- Palace failed to complete the league double over Liverpool for a third time, having done so 1991/92 and 2014/15
- They have never achieved a league double in the same season against the reigning champions
- Had Strand Larsen’s effort gone in, the Eagles would have netted exactly twice in six straight Premier League games against the reigning champions, but Manchester City remain the only team to score at least two goals in six in a row against title-holders in the competitions, doing so from September 2013 to May 2017
- The last team to beat the Reds twice at Anfield in the same season were Arsenal in 2006/07
- Ismaila Sarr’s run of scoring in four straight appearances against Liverpool in all competitions (5 goals) came to an end
- In English football, Sarr only has more goals against Aston Villa (8) than he does against the Reds (7)
