Crystal Palace 1-3 Liverpool: Slot’s side trade control for clarity at Selhurst Park

Liverpool did not need the ball to own the match.

A. Slot’s team left Selhurst Park on Sunday with a 3-1 win that looked cleaner on the scoreboard than it felt in the numbers. Crystal Palace had 53% possession, 19 shots, 7 on target and 2.47 expected goals. They still lost by two. That is the story for P. Sage, whose side remain bottom of the Premier League on 7 points after 10 matches.

For Liverpool, this was a big away result. They are now fourth on 18 points, behind Arsenal, Brighton and Manchester City, and their away record remains strong: 4 wins and 1 draw from 5 away league matches. Selhurst Park has often been awkward territory for Liverpool. This time they managed the chaos better than Palace managed their chances.

Match report

Palace’s starting XI featured Henderson in goal, with Disasi, Lerma, Richards, Óscar Mingueza, Mitchell, Wharton, Quinten Timber, Yeremy Pino, Kamada and Jörgen Strand Larsen also involved from the start.

Liverpool’s starting XI included Alisson Becker in goal, Ronald Araújo, Jacquet, van Dijk and Kerkez in defence, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield, and an attacking group of Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo.

The first clear shift came before the scoring. Ronald Araújo was booked in the 24th minute for a foul, a small warning that Liverpool were having to defend plenty of Palace pressure. The home side had territory, shots and enough possession to make this uncomfortable.

Liverpool had the better execution.

Alexis Mac Allister scored in the 40th minute, assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai. That goal changed the tone. Palace had been competitive, but Liverpool had the lead and, crucially, a decisive midfield contribution. Mac Allister was not just a scorer. He finished with 44 passes, 5 interceptions, 3 shots and 2 on target. He gave Slot’s side an edge in both boxes of the midfield battle.

Then Wirtz took over.

Florian Wirtz scored in the 54th minute, assisted by Bradley Barcola, and Liverpool suddenly had margin. Barcola was booked in the 59th minute and was later replaced by Víctor Muñoz in the 69th minute, but his decisive contribution had already landed. Wirtz, meanwhile, was the game’s best player: 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots, 2 on target and enough quality between Palace’s lines to make Liverpool dangerous even without dominance of possession.

P. Sage tried to change the rhythm. Dario Osorio replaced Quinten Timber in the 60th minute. Eddie Nketiah came on for Jörgen Strand Larsen in the 72nd minute. Later, in the 87th minute, Anan Khalaili replaced Óscar Mingueza and Dwight McNeil replaced Yeremy Pino.

There was fight from Palace, but not enough order. Yeremy Pino was booked in the 71st minute after a busy but wasteful match in which he had 6 shots and 3 key passes. Jefferson Lerma was booked in the 82nd minute for an argument, at the same minute as Víctor Muñoz saw yellow for Liverpool. Mac Allister was also booked in the 83rd minute for an argument.

Liverpool managed the substitutions with a clear plan. Víctor Muñoz and Treymaurice Nyoni came on in the 69th minute for Barcola and Szoboszlai. Rio Ngumoha replaced Cody Gakpo in the 76th minute. Lewis Koumas came on for Alexander Isak in the 90th minute, and Joe Gomez replaced Ronald Araújo in the 90+1st minute.

Before those final changes, Isak killed the contest. He scored in the 89th minute, assisted by Wirtz. No overstatement needed: it was the third goal, it ended Palace’s comeback route, and it underlined why Liverpool’s front line carried more punch.

Nketiah did get Palace on the board with a penalty in the 90+5th minute. It rewarded his impact from the bench, but it did not alter the truth of the afternoon. Palace produced enough to make Alisson work. Liverpool produced enough to win.

Why Liverpool won

Liverpool were sharper in the moments that mattered.

Szoboszlai’s role was vital before he went off in the 69th minute. He assisted Mac Allister in the 40th minute and created 6 key passes. That is high-grade service in a match where Liverpool had only 47% possession. Slot did not need sterile control. He needed vertical quality, timing and runners arriving around Palace’s back line.

Wirtz gave him exactly that. He scored in the 54th minute, assisted Isak in the 89th minute and repeatedly turned Liverpool’s attacks into clear danger. Palace could get bodies around him, but they could not stop him from deciding the match.

Isak mattered because he stretched Palace and gave Liverpool a final-third outlet. His goal in the 89th minute came after Palace had pushed changes and energy into the game. That was the moment Liverpool’s patience turned into punishment.

Alisson Becker also deserves space in the report. Palace had 7 shots on target, and Alisson made 6 saves. In a game where Palace won the possession share and generated 2.47 expected goals, the goalkeeper’s work was not cosmetic. It protected the result.

For Palace, the problem was not lack of intent. Mitchell made 3 key passes. Pino had 6 shots. Osorio added 2 key passes after coming on in the 60th minute. Nketiah scored his penalty in the 90+5th minute. But the home side needed cleaner finishing and better control of transition moments. Bottom sides often lose like this: plenty of effort, plenty of noise, not enough authority in either penalty area.

Key numbers

Key moments

• 24th minute: Ronald Araújo booked for Liverpool.
• 40th minute: Alexis Mac Allister scored for Liverpool, assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai.
• 54th minute: Florian Wirtz scored for Liverpool, assisted by Bradley Barcola.
• 59th minute: Bradley Barcola booked for Liverpool.
• 60th minute: Dario Osorio replaced Quinten Timber for Crystal Palace.
• 69th minute: Víctor Muñoz replaced Bradley Barcola for Liverpool.
• 69th minute: Treymaurice Nyoni replaced Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool.
• 71st minute: Yeremy Pino booked for Crystal Palace.
• 72nd minute: Eddie Nketiah replaced Jörgen Strand Larsen for Crystal Palace.
• 76th minute: Rio Ngumoha replaced Cody Gakpo for Liverpool.
• 82nd minute: Víctor Muñoz booked for Liverpool.
• 82nd minute: Jefferson Lerma booked for Crystal Palace.
• 83rd minute: Alexis Mac Allister booked for Liverpool.
• 87th minute: Anan Khalaili replaced Óscar Mingueza for Crystal Palace.
• 87th minute: Dwight McNeil replaced Yeremy Pino for Crystal Palace.
• 89th minute: Alexander Isak scored for Liverpool, assisted by Florian Wirtz.
• 90th minute: Lewis Koumas replaced Alexander Isak for Liverpool.
• 90+1st minute: Joe Gomez replaced Ronald Araújo for Liverpool.
• 90+5th minute: Eddie Nketiah scored a penalty for Crystal Palace.

What it means

Liverpool stay fourth, on 18 points, and hold a Champions League place after another away win. The next step for Slot is turning this level of road efficiency into a more complete run of league form.

Palace remain 20th with 7 points, 24 goals conceded in 10 matches and a home record that is hurting them badly. P. Sage has attacking pieces, but unless Palace start converting pressure into points, the table will keep telling the same hard story.