Crystal Palace 0-7
by Gene Sylvester

NOT many teams will have the misfortune of playing a league game against the team sitting on top of the Premier League table two consecutive weeks running, but having taken on Spurs last week who were sitting pretty at the Premier league summit, Roy Hodgson’s men this time faced the current champions and league leaders Liverpool at Selhurst Park.

Jose Mourinho, whose Spurs team surrendered top spot to the boys from Merseyside in midweek after their own defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, may have hoped for a similar Palace performance that greeted his own team at Selhurst last week, but Jurgen Klopp’s team were just too strong for the home team as they emphatically put Palace to the sword running out 7-0 winners to cement their place on top of the tree at Christmas.

It was a result that had left Crystal Palace’s manager Roy Hodgson shellshocked. “It’s an embarrassing result and will be the first time most of us have suffered a defeat of that magnitude. We feel humiliated.”

The rout started as early as the second minute when Taki Minamino opened the scoring as well as his Liverpool account with his first Premier League goal for the club since signing from RB Salzburg during the January window this year. The Japanese striker’s form has been patchy to say the least so his goal would have come as a welcome relief to both player and his manager that he has finally broken his duck.

“Taki is in a good moment and he helps us a lot. In the dressing room now he cannot stop smiling all over his face,” enthused the Liverpool manager.

Despite the scoreline, Crystal Palace were not without their own chances. Wilfried Zaha’s 11th-minute cross from the left was not far off finding his target in Jordan Ayew at the far post but for the interception of the imperious Fabino.

Ayew trying to return the favour to Zaha in the 23rd minute, after escaping the attentions of Fabino expertly, could have assisted in putting his team level, but his attempted square ball to his strike partner was woefully played behind him, with Zaha unmarked in the box for a simple tap in.

Ayew and Jeffry Schlupp both had further opportunities to draw Palace level but their separate headed efforts were directed straight at Liverpool goalkeeper Allison.

The south Londoners’ desire to get back into the match probably contributed to their own downfall as the following two Liverpool goals were scored off the back of previous Palace attacks.

Sadio Mane’s swift turn and finish from the edge of the box in the 35th minute following good work from Firmino ended his own goal drought of six Premier League games, much to the Senegalese’s delight.

Firmino, himself enjoying a resurgence in form after a slow start to the season, made it three just before the break after being fed delightfully by Andy Robertson during another swift counter attack. It was the Brazilian’s second goal in a week to follow up his late winner against Spurs in midweek.

The Brazilian then added his second of the game on 57 minutes, receiving a pinpoint pass from substitute Mo Salah before dinking his shot over the onrushing Vicente Guaita in confident style.

Captain Jordan Henderson also chipped in with an impressive strike from the edge of the box that was sandwiched between Firmino’s brace and Salah also used his time on the pitch efficiently by bagging his own brace, with his second goal, a trademark curler from the edge of the box, possibly being the pick of the bunch.

Klopp later acknowledged that his team fully capitalised on their goalscoring opportunities today. “They all wore their shooting boots today, which hasn’t necessarily happened for us before. The result allows to make up the goal difference from the Villa game.”