Liverpool lost back-to-back games at Anfield as they lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon
Following a shocking Thursday night Europa League display against Atalanta, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were looking to respond against Crystal Palace to keep their Premier League title dreams alive.
Alisson’s return to the starting eleven was a big boost ahead of this fixture, with the Brazilian goalkeeper making his first appearance since Liverpool’s 3-1 loss at the Emirates Stadium in February.
Once again, the Reds struggled in the opening stages of the match, with Oliver Glasner’s team finding the opening goal inside the first 15 minutes at Anfield. A well-worked team goal finished off by Eberechi Eze.
As standard, Liverpool created chances, that wasn’t the problem. It was finishing them off. The beauty of having five top-class forwards is that if one of them has a dry spell, the others can often fill in and provide the killer touch. The problem is, they are all out of form.
Half-time soon arrived and Liverpool were still trailing by a goal to nil. In threat of losing their first Premier League home match since October 2022, something had to give in the second half.
Dominik Szoboszlai was immediately introduced in the second half, with Wataru Endo spending the rest of the match on the bench. Trent Alexander-Arnold was also introduced for the injured Conor Bradley on 48 minutes.
Diogo Jota was unleashed as well 66 minutes in, but for the rest of the second half it would be a repeat of the film we’ve been forced to watch for the past few weeks. Chance after chance missed.
The golden opportunity to draw Liverpool level was Curtis Jones’ one-on-one which was put wide of the far post. Agonising for himself and the team, who couldn’t find a breakthrough at all.
Time ticked on and the klaxon rang out after eight additional minutes. Another defeat at Anfield. The first time Liverpool have lost back-to-back games at Anfield since January 2017, when Klopp’s team lost 3-2 to Swansea City, before being knocked out of the EFL Cup 1-0 by Southampton.
The only positive for Liverpool is that Arsenal were also defeated 2-0 by Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium, meaning Mikel Arteta’s side stay level on 71 points with Liverpool, but two behind Manchester City who end the weekend top of the league.
The next match for Liverpool is a trip to Bergamo to play in what may very well be Klopp’s final European match for the Reds. His side are 3-0 down from the first leg and will need a miraculous night to advance to the semi-final to play either Benfica or Olympique de Marseille.
The odds are against them, but a slight glimmer of hope will be that Liverpool have played Atalanta away before – back in 2020. The scoreline in Bergamo then was 5-0 to the Reds before losing 2-0 at Anfield.
It will take something special, but it’s not impossible. In the words of Jurgen Klopp: “If we fail, let’s fail in the most beautiful way.”
Kick-off in Bergamo is 8pm on Thursday, 18 April.
Liverpool team: Alisson, Bradley (Alexander-Arnold 48), Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson, Jones (Elliott 82), Endo (Szoboszlai 46), Mac Allister, Salah, Nunez (Gakpo 66), Diaz (Jota 66).
Crystal Palace team: Henderson, Clyne (Ward 77), Andersen, Lerma, Munoz, Wharton, Hughes (Riedewald 77), Mitchell, Olise (Ayew 68), Mateta (Edouard 90), Eze (Schlupp 77).
Read More Liverpool Coverage:
- Liverpool 0-3 Atalanta: La Dea run riot at Anfield in Europa League first leg
- Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool: Honours even in crazy Old Trafford clash
- Liverpool 3-1 Sheffield United: Mac Allister wonder-strike keeps title dream alive
- Liverpool 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Reds rise to top on Easter Sunday
- Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool (aet): No luck of the Irish for Reds in Old Trafford thriller