Crystal Palace 1-3 Liverpool: Reds bounce back to increase pressure on Sage

Liverpool returned to winning ways as they produced a clinical display to see off struggling Crystal Palace 3-1 and pile the pressure on their boss Pierre Sage.

Andoni Iraola’s men travelled to Selhurst Park on the back of successive defeats to Arsenal and Fenerbahce, and they were unconvincing for long periods in south London.

Indeed, Liverpool were grateful to a fine performance from goalkeeper Alisson, who made a string of saves in both halves to frustrate the struggling hosts.

And Liverpool punished Palace for their profligacy as Alexis Mac Allister headed them in front shortly before half-time, with Florian Wirtz doubling matters nine minutes after the restart.

Alexander Isak put the game beyond doubt late on, before Eddie Nketiah scored a consolation for Palace from the penalty spot.

Liverpool go fourth in the Premier League as a result of Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, with that pair of results sending Palace bottom after an eighth successive game without a win in all competitions.

With the Eagles at the foot of the table heading into the international break, Sage’s hopes of keeping his job look slim.

Dominik Szoboszlai drew a fine save from Dean Henderson early on as the Palace goalkeeper turned his low effort round the post, before Yeremy Pino cracked crossbar at the other end.

Palace looked the more threatening for much of the first half and appeared to have broken the deadlock when Jorgen Strand Larsen prodded home after Pino saw a shot blocked, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

Daichi Kamada was then denied by Alisson, and Liverpool took advantage of those let-offs as a well-worked free-kick saw Mac Allister head home at the near post from a Szoboszlai cross.

Alisson then thwarted Quinten Timber and Adam Wharton before Ronald Araujo failed to turn home a second for Liverpool from point-blank range after Jeremy Jacquet had flicked on a Szoboszlai corner.

But Liverpool did double their lead in short order after the interval, Wirtz ghosting in to score his first Premier League goal of the season as he steered Bradley Barcola’s cross to the far post into the bottom-left corner.

Palace faded as a threat as Liverpool managed the second half with little difficulty and, after spurning one chance when sent through one-on-one with Henderson, Isak made no mistake as another gilt-edged opportunity fell his way, Wirtz teeing up the Sweden striker, who sent two defenders tumbling to the turf with neat footwork before finding the net with a deflected effort.

The hosts were given something to cheer as Milos Kerkez was ruled to have fouled in the area during an aerial duel, allowing Nketiah to step up and make the scoreline more respectable with the last kick of the game.

The Premier League Table

Upcoming fixtures for Crystal Palace and Liverpool

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