Crystal Palace v Liverpool: Premier League – live!
Palace #Palace
8.47am EST 08:47
60 min Minamino misses a terrific chance. He took Keita’s pass beautifully in his stride, pushing it away from Cahill in the process, but slid a low shot just wide from 10 yards.
8.46am EST 08:46
59 min “Not only is Fabinho the best centre-back available to Liverpool just now, he’s the best centre-back in the country – so is this his position?” says Gary Naylor. “Everyone talks about how big an adjustment Premier League football represents, yet relatively few players change their position (which may date back to schoolboy matches). I know Steven Gerrard and Gareth Bale started out as full-backs and Cheik Kouyate was a midfielder (not a good example today), but it’s surely the case that there must be more.”
Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger used to remould players all the time: Lauren, Beckham, Neville, Irwin, Parlour, Wiltord, Ljungberg, Solskjaer, Scholes, to name a few. Fabinho has been brilliant but I think it’s too early to call him the best in the league. It was his mistake today, for example, that gave Palace their best chance.
Updated at 8.46am EST
8.44am EST 08:44
57 min Sadio Mane is replaced by Mo Salah. Mane is very, very, very pissed off: he’s gesticulating in all directions. Mane coming off makes sense; Salah coming on is completely beyond me.
8.43am EST 08:43
56 min Mane drives just wide after another excellent cutback from Robertson. It took a slight touch off a defender, though I’m not sure it was going in anyway.
8.42am EST 08:42
56 min Mo Salah is about to come on. I don’t understand that at all.
8.40am EST 08:40
54 min Liverpool don’t play again until their defeat at home to Sam Allardyce a week tomorrow, but this is still a good chance for Jurgen Klopp to rest three of his players for the last half hour or so.
8.40am EST 08:40
The scoreline is a travesty but the quality of the goals has been spectacular. Liverpool kept possession for a while on the left before Mane found Alexander-Arnold on the right side of the box. He turned and carefully teed up Henderson to whip a sweet first-time shot into the far corner from 22 yards. Guaita had no chance.
Updated at 8.40am EST
8.38am EST 08:38
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-4 Liverpool (Henderson 52)
Four goals, four beauties.
Henderson scores Liverpool’s fourth goal. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Updated at 8.42am EST
8.37am EST 08:37
50 min Liverpool are playing with Firmino on the right and Mane as centre-forward. I think they made that switch towards the end of the first half, but I was too distracted by the brilliant goals to consciously recognise it.
Updated at 8.37am EST
8.32am EST 08:32
“The difference between Ayew bumbling Palace’s chance and the quick thinking & impeccable two-touch finishing from Liverpool’s front three has been enormous,” says Bobby Moore. “Three beautifully taken goals. I’d also like to echo Adam Griffiths’ warm wishes and thank you and the MBM crew for your continued insight, wit, and humour. All the best!”
Cheers Bobby!
8.31am EST 08:31
“Three-nil up at Selhurst Park?” weeps Matt Dony. “No one’s seen Dwight Gayle, have they?”
Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool | Premier League match report
8.21am EST 08:21
I can’t get enough of that third goal. All three were terrific but this was easily the best. The four key touches – Firmino’s pass at the start, then Robertson’s pass, Firmino’s control and finish – were immaculate.
8.18am EST 08:18
Half time: Crystal Palace 0-3 Liverpool
Peep peep! “This has been a ludicrous half,” says my colleague Gregg Bakowski. “It’s like Klopp has tried to play like Spurs to wind Mourinho up.”
Liverpool had three shots on target and score three goals of increasing brilliance. They are going six points clear, and that exciting title race we were promised is fighting for its life.
8.17am EST 08:17
45+2 min Alexander-Arnold whips the free-kick over the bar.
Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool shoots over. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images
Updated at 8.39am EST
8.16am EST 08:16
45+1 min Clyne is booked for pulling back Minamino in the D. Minamino was offside, but VAR can’t adjudicate on such matters, and this is a great chance for Liverpool to go 4-0 up.
8.16am EST 08:16
That was glorious football. Firmino, deep in his own half, waved an insouciant pass out to Robertson with the outside of his right foot and set off. Robertson moved into space, waited for support and picked out Firmino just inside the area. He took the ball beautifully in his stride and flicked it nonchalantly past Guaita. A quite gorgeous goal.
Updated at 8.20am EST
8.14am EST 08:14
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-3 Liverpool (Firmino 44)
Oh my, this is sheer delightful football!
Firmino makes it look easy with Liverpool’s third goal. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images Firmino celebrates with a high kick. Photograph: Adam Davy/AFP/Getty Images
Updated at 8.45am EST
8.14am EST 08:14
43 min van Aanholt and Alexander-Arnold go head to head over something. Alexander-Arnold kicked a dead ball in van Aanholt’s direction, though I’m not sure why he was so annoyed.
8.13am EST 08:13
41 min Jurgen Klopp is repeatedly shouting “Why would you do that?” at somebody on the field, presumably the referee. He’s been in a funny mood all season, but I suspect he’ll be cheerier after Christmas as Liverpool run away with the league.
8.10am EST 08:10
40 min Zaha sprays a drive wide of the near post from a tight angle.
8.09am EST 08:09
38 min I’m not saying the best team are losing, but the scoreline is harsh on Palace. Liverpool have been devastatingly efficient.
8.07am EST 08:07
There was a bit of a scramble on the edge of the D, with the ball eventually falling to Firmino, lurking just to the left of centre 22 yards from goal. He played a short pass into Mane, who moved the ball away from Clyne with his first touch and thwacked it past Guaita with his second. Mane’s speed of thought, and feet, were quite something. He had his back to goal on the edge of the area and was tightly marked by Clyne; a couple of seconds later it was 2-0.
Updated at 8.10am EST
8.05am EST 08:05
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-2 Liverpool (Mane 35)
The best player on the field makes it 2-0 with a brilliant goal!
Mane scores makes space and rifles in. Photograph: Clive Rose/Reuters Mane celebrates after scoring. Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Updated at 8.16am EST
8.03am EST 08:03
32 min I’m not saying the best team are losing, but Alisson has had more to do than Vicente Guaita.
8.02am EST 08:02
31 min Zaha plays a beautiful reverse pass down the left to find van Aanholt in space. His low cross is put behind at the near post by Fabinho. The corner is headed on by Schlupp at the near post and held confidently by Alisson.
8.00am EST 08:00
30 min Robertson’s excellent corner is headed into the ground and wide of the far post by Matip. That was a chance.
7.59am EST 07:59
29 min A dreadful pass across his own area from van Aanholt almost falls for Minamino. Clyne gets in front of him to knock the ball behind for a corner.
Clyne in action with Minamino. Photograph: John Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images
Updated at 8.07am EST
7.59am EST 07:59
28 min Ayew heads straight at Alisson from Milivojevic’s deep free-kick. It wouldn’t have counted though as Ayew was offside.
7.57am EST 07:57
26 min “Bob,” says Mac Millings. “If I may indulge in some sporting crossover, in honour of India’s recent batting effort in Australia, here is my all-time Cricket Collapse XI:
Updated at 7.58am EST
7.55am EST 07:55
25 min Robertson’s brilliant cross towards Firmino is crucially intercepted by Cahill.
7.54am EST 07:54
23 min: What a chance for Palace! Oh dear lord. Fabinho’s poor header is intercepted by Ayew, who is through one on one with Alisson on the right-hand side of the area. He declines to shoot and instead tries to pick out Zaha at the far post – but it’s a dreadful pass, a few yards behind him. Zaha collapses to the floor in frustration.
Updated at 7.55am EST
7.52am EST 07:52
23 min Schlupp’s cutback is dummied extravagantly by Ayew at the near post, but there are no Palace players behind him. Palace have been the better team in the last 10 minutes or so.
Updated at 7.53am EST
7.51am EST 07:51
21 min Palace are having a decent spell here. Clyne’s deep cross is controlled well by Zaha, who picks out Eze on the edge of the box. He teases Henderson but then plays a poor pass.
7.49am EST 07:49
19 min I did Minamino a disservice with the description of his goal. I thought Clyne had tackled him, but in fact Minamino moved the ball away from him very neatly before rifling it past Guaita. That little bit of skill, coupled with the finish, makes it a cracking goal.
Updated at 7.50am EST
7.47am EST 07:47
17 min Alisson comes out of his area to beat Zaha to a loose ball. His clearance goes straight to Milivojevic, who tries to chip him from inside the centre circle. It’s a decent attempet but Alisson has plenty of time to get back and catch the ball.
7.45am EST 07:45
15 min Palace are coming into the game. Zaha looks lively and is pulling out to the left a lot of the time.
Alisson clears the ball in front of Zaha. Photograph: Adam Davy/AP
Updated at 8.05am EST
7.42am EST 07:42
12 min Zaha’s excellent low cross is taken off Ayew’s toes by Fabinho. Fine defending, though I think Zaha was offside in the build up.
7.39am EST 07:39
10 min We’re having technical problems I’m afraid. It’s still 1-0, that much I do know.
7.36am EST 07:36
7 min Zaha tries to run Fabinho, who takes the ball off him with authority. He’s so good one against one.
7.35am EST 07:35
6 min Robertson’s cross grazes the head of Mane and drifts across the area. Liverpool, in the parlance of our time, are bang at it.
7.33am EST 07:33
It’s his first Premier League goal, and he took it beautifully. Alexander-Arnold started the move by floating a ball into Mane in the area. He turned and squared the ball to Minamino, eight yards out. Clyne came across to challenge but the ball rebounded kindly for Minamino, who cracked it across Guaita and into the far corner. That was an emphatic finish.
7.32am EST 07:32
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool (Minamino 3)
Takumi Minamino slams Liverpool into the lead!
Minamino scores an early goal for Liverpool. Photograph: Clive Rose/AP Minamino celebrates with Mane. Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images
Updated at 7.43am EST
7.32am EST 07:32
2 min Kouyate’s clearance is charged down by Firmino, whose low cross is cleared without nonsense by Cahill.
7.30am EST 07:30
1 min Peep peep! Liverpool, in their black away strip, kick off on a sunny, blustery afternoon at Selhurst Park.
Palace’s Eberechi Eze in action with Liverpool’s Naby Keita. Photograph: Clive Rose/Reuters
Updated at 7.40am EST
7.24am EST 07:24
It’s nearly time for kick off. A win would put Liverpool six points clear at the top, at least until Everton play tonight.
7.20am EST 07:20
“Alright, Rob,” says Adam Griffiths. “I’ve no horse in this race, I’ll be spending the ninety minutes lying on the sofa stuffing mini stollen into my face while keeping an eye on proceedings, but just wanted to say Merry Christmas to you and the readers, and cheers for the top MBMing from you and your colleagues this year (and what a year. Stupid 2020). Fingers crossed for 2021, eh.”
Thanks Adam. A very merry Christmas to you and all the readers. When all this is over, let’s have a celebratory MBM orgy. Entry password: Naylor.
Updated at 7.20am EST
6.58am EST 06:58
“Dearest of Robs, I have convinced my other friend that Liverpool switch off just enough against the non-big sides away from home to make these the dangerous games rather than facing your Chelseas and Citys,” says Ian Copestake. “It is an unconscious falling away, but the first three bad touches they had against Fulham showed what was to come. My hope is that beating Jose M was a turning point and also something he will take credit for.”
Look, the best team lost, get over it.
6.42am EST 06:42
One bit of good news for Liverpool is that there will be no fans at Selhurst Park this afternoon. The 2,000 crowd made such a difference during Palace’s draw with Spurs last Sunday, back in the halcyon days of London being in tier 2.
Fans are seen waiting for the Liverpool team bus outside the ground. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Updated at 7.09am EST
6.34am EST 06:34
Team news: Salah rested
Jordan Ayew replaces the suspended Christian Benteke, one of four changes for Crystal Palace. Liverpool make three changes: Joel Matip returns after a back spasm, and Mo Salah and Curtis Jones are rested.
Crystal Palace (4-4-2) Guaita; Clyne, Kouyate, Cahill, van Aanholt; Schlupp, Milivojevic, McArthur, Eze; Zaha, Ayew.Substitutes: Butland, Ward, Tomkins, Dann, Mitchell, Townsend, McCarthy, Riedewald, Batshuayi.
Liverpool (4-3-3) Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson; Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita; Minamino, Firmino, Mane.Substitutes: Adrian, Kelleher, R Williams, Phillips, N Williams, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Salah, Origi.
Referee Jon Moss.
Updated at 6.36am EST
4.25am EST 04:25
Preamble
Hello. In most cases, Covid football has reduced or even obliterated home advantage. Liverpool are one of the exceptions. Twenty-one of their 28 points this season have been won at Anfield: they’ve won seven out of seven, as compared to one in six away from home. Only four teams have picked up fewer points on their travels, and Liverpool’s one win, at Chelsea, was three months ago. Today’s trip to Crystal Palace is their latest chance to sort their away form out.
Styles make fights, and Palace’s strengths – Hodgson, Two Banks of Four, Zaha-led counter-attacks – make them uncomfortable opponents for Liverpool. Most of their recent games have been close, including a nerve-shredding 4-3 at Anfield two years ago, but Liverpool tend to get the job done. They have won the last six games at Selhurst Park, and the last six against Palace anywhere since Christian Benteke won at Anfield in 2017.
That was Liverpool’s last home defeat in the league, a run that shows no sign of ending. Liverpool’s home record means that, if they get anywhere near last season’s away form, we can probably forget about a title race.
Kick off 12.30pm.
Updated at 7.18am EST