Liverpool vs Crystal Palace Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Liverpool will be looking for their first win of the season after a stuttering start when they welcome a hungry Crystal Palace to Anfield on Monday.

Liverpool will return to comfort of their home when they take on Crystal Palace at Anfield, and Jurgen Klopp will be keen to see his men register their first win of the new campaign. The Reds began the season in stuttering form, having to come from behind twice to snatch a point against Fulham in London.

After ending their pre-season in relatively good form, Klopp’s charges probably underestimated their opponents last weekend. Fulham showed they were no pushovers and produced a performance they might look back upon at as the season progresses.

In the draw at Craven Cottage, Liverpool also lost Thiago Alcantara to another injury, which will keep the Spaniard out of action for several weeks. As a consequence, the Reds have seen calls to sign a new midfielder rise exponentially in the last few days, but Klopp may not bulge to these demands.

The Liverpool boss will be aiming to get three points on Monday night and get their season up and running. They are already trailing Manchester City by five points, and the idea would be to keep this gap at a bare minimum in the opening few weeks of the campaign.

Crystal Palace are the first team to get a taste of the Anfield atmosphere this season, and Patrick Vieira will be eager to get the Eagles’ first points on board. The Londoners have made plenty of changes to their playing squad, and some of the players are still getting to grips with the challenge at hand.

They did not begin the season in optimal fashion, suffering a home loss to a formidable Arsenal side. Vieira’s men were no match for the Gunners but did show improvements in various phases of the game. There were signs of encouragement, but will that be enough to get a positive result against Liverpool at Anfield?

Recent history against the Reds does not favour Crystal Palace, who have lost their last ten Premier League games in a row to Klopp’s men, with their last victory at Anfield coming in April 2017. Ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter.

Team News & Tactics

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has plenty of absentees for the home clash against Crystal Palace. As many as six first team stars are absent from the squad through injury issues. Thiago Alcantara was the latest to enter the treatment room, with the Spanish midfielder expected to miss between four to six weeks with a thigh injury.

As a reprieve, Naby Keita will be back to provide an option in midfield, although the Guinean international is unlikely to start the game. Kostas Tsimikas is also back in full training, and Klopp reckoned he could make the matchday squad as well.

After signing a new long-term deal during the week, Harvey Elliott could get a start in midfield and replace Thiago there. Klopp could be forced to make changes to his backline after Joel Matip sat out of training with a groin complaint. The cente-back could yet prove his fitness, but Klopp may not take the risk with him. Joe Gomez could thus partner Virgil van Dijk in central defence.

Klopp could be tempted to hand Darwin Nunez his home bow with a start against Crystal Palace after the Uruguayan proved catalyst in Liverpool’s comeback against Fulham. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are likely to complete the front three, with Roberto Firmino likely to be on the bench.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Fabinho, Henderson; Salah, Nunez, Diaz

Crystal Palace

Patrick Vieira still has few players out with injury problems. Nathan Ferguson suffered a setback in his recovery and will remain out for the foreseeable future. James McArthur and centre-back James Tomkins are on the road to recovery, but the Liverpool trip will come too soon for the duo.

Michael Olise trained during the week after missing the Arsenal clash with a foot injury. The young winger is likely to make the matchday squad, and Vieira could take a late call on his involvement from the start against Liverpool.

New signing Cheick Doucoure was forced off against Arsenal, but it was only cramp. Hence, the talented midfielder is likely to feature from the get-go at Anfield, while Cheikhou Kouyate has left the club for Nottingham Forest.

Vieira could retain the same defence consisting of Vicente Guaita, Nathaniel Clyne, Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi and Tyrick Mitchell. However, the Crystal Palace manager could replace Odsonne Edouard after a sub par display against Arsenal and bring in Jean-Philippe Mateta in his place.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Eze, Doucoure, Schlupp; Ayew, Mateta, Zaha

Key Stats

• Liverpool have won their last 12 matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions.
• Liverpool have won 13 of their last 14 Premier League games at Anfield.
• Liverpool have scored at least two goals in 14 of their last 17 Premier League home games against Crystal Palace.
• Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in six of their last seven home games against Crystal Palace in all competitions.
• Crystal Palace last won against Liverpool in April 2017 and have been on a ten-game losing streak since in the Premier League.

Player To Watch

Darwin Nunez

Embed from Getty Images

Nunez will clearly have all the eyeballs on him against Crystal Palace. The Uruguayan international began the Fulham game from the bench but made a tremendous impact with his substitute appearance. He changed the dynamics of Liverpool’s attack, providing Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz with a focal point option up front.

He has the physicality to match the towering Premier League defenders and showed with his heavy involvement how quickly he has gelled with Jurgen Klopp’s methods. Nunez will be one of the players to watch, not just for this game but for the season alongside Manchester City star Erling Haaland.

Prediction

Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace are still getting their team in shape and figuring out how to fill the void left by the likes of Conor Gallagher. Last weekend, only Eberechi Eze and Wilfried Zaha tried to create things in the final third, and they terribly missed the creative threat of Olise in the attack. The Eagles might not be at their fluid best, and the Liverpool clash may have come at a wrong time.

Liverpool did make a bad start to their season, but their late resurgence against Fulham did show signs the team may be looking to bounce back. Jurgen Klopp needs a well-oiled machine to get the goals and get three points in decisive fashion. They are on course to get such a result against Crystal Palace, with Alisson likely to register his first clean sheet of the season.