Crystal Palace 1-3 Liverpool: Pierre Sage in big trouble as Eagles hit rock-bottom in Premier League

Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 3-1 at Selhurst Park to inflict a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat on the hosts and leave Pierre Sage in a perilous position with his side bottom of the table.

Palace substitute Eddie Nketiah pulled a goal back from the spot with the last kick of the game, but the damage was already done after Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz struck for Liverpool either side of half time and Alexander Isak added a third late on.

Liverpool secured a much-needed result following back-to-back defeats at Arsenal and Fenerbahce. The victory, their first for three games in all competitions, moves Liverpool up to fourth in the table.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker, arguably Liverpool’s best player, kept his side in the game, producing important saves to keep out Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton in a first half that also saw Palace hit the bar through Yeremy Pino. He finished with six saves.

Palace’s hard work was undone by Quinten Timber losing Mac Allister at a free-kick five minutes before the break, allowing the Argentina international to head in his fifth goal of the season – as many as he managed in the entirety of last season.

Liverpool’s two £100m players then combined to double their lead as Bradley Barcola found Wirtz after a swift counter-attack. The Germany international picked out the corner to score his first league goal of the season after a 12-game barren run in the competition.

With the game already sealed, Isak compounded Sage’s misery by adding a third in the 89th minute before Palace scored from the spot deep in stoppage-time after Milos Kerkez was judged to have fouled fellow substitute Dario Osorio in the box.

Nketiah’s spot-kick prevented Sage from becoming the first Palace head coach since Frank de Boer to lose four games in a row without scoring. Nonetheless, Sage looks set for the same fate as De Boer, who was sacked after his fourth defeat in that run.

Carra expects Palace to sack Sage

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher:

“I think that would have been one of the best Crystal Palace performances this season. Liverpool won 3-1 away from home but their goalkeeper was their best player. That tells you how well Palace did.

“But I don’t think you can hang your hat on the performance, especially with a new guy into the Premier League. He’s really struggled so far.

“I don’t think you can take the risk as an owner when you think of the finances involved. Palace – 14 seasons in the Premier League, we don’t expect them to be [bottom]. They’re an established Premier League club.

“I think the decision will be made, unfortunately for Pierre Sage. I think Palace will have a new manager the next time they play in the Premier League”

The key moments from Selhurst Park

18: OFF THE BAR! Pino goes agonisingly close to giving Palace the lead

32: GOAL DISALLOWED! Strand Larsen finds the back of the net but had strayed offside

37: BIG MISS! Barcola fires well over the bar from close-range on the volley

38: SAVE! Kamada’s volleyed effort is saved by Liverpool ‘keeper Alisson

40: GOAL! Mac Allister heads Liverpool from Szoboszlai’s free-kick after losing his marker Timber

43: SAVE! Alisson produces another important save to keep out Wharton’s glancing header

54: GOAL! Wirtz converts from Barcola’s cross to double Liverpool’s lead from swift counter

77: SAVE! Alisson to the rescue again as he produces a double save to keep out Pino and Lerma

89: GOAL! Isak’s deflected strike seals the win for Liverpool in south London.

90+5: GOAL! Nketiah scores from the spot with final kick of the game after Osorio was fouled by Kerkez

Sage avoids questions on his future

Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage to Sky Sports:

“We have to continue our work, be more efficient in what we do, I have to be really close to the players to create the atmosphere for the confidence and the initiative in the play.

“For the moment, we don’t have the results expected.”

On if the board still have faith in him: “You have to ask them.

“In my position, I’m focused on what I have to do. I analyse what happened and try to change things. All the other decisions are not for me.”

Iraola: Important for us to win before the break

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola:

“It was an important win for us before going into the international break.

“We arrived very late Thursday night from Turkey – I know they also played – but it was important to finish with the win.

“Probably in the first half we struggled a little bit defensively but after we closed the game quite well, even if I’m a little bit upset with the penalty.”

Analysis: Alisson delivers reminder of his brilliance

Sky Sports’ Peter Smith:

Liverpool hit three at Palace, with three £100m+ players – Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak and, with an assist, Bradley Barcola – involved in the goals. But it was their goalkeeper Alisson who was Liverpool’s best performer.

Crystal Palace will be so frustrated because on another day, the narrative could have swung their way. But the brilliant Brazilian delivered in key moments in the game.

His save from Daichi Kamada’s volley was an exceptional reaction stop. Two minutes later Liverpool took the lead.

Alisson was then at full stretch to push away Adam Wharton’s header to ensure Liverpool went into the break with the advantage. And on 77 minutes, with the score 2-0, he prevented Yeremy Pino from setting up a grandstand finish by shutting down the angle to save the one-on-one.

Alisson may have had fortune with Pino hitting the bar when he was beaten early in the contest and he lost out on a clean sheet due to a controversial late Eddie Nketiah penalty, but in between he reminded everyone why he has been the Premier League’s standout goalkeeper since his arrival in 2018.

Palace’s leaky defence costs Sage again – Opta stats

Crystal Palace have conceded 24 Premier League goals this season, their most in their first 10 matches of any league campaign since 1980-81 (also 24).
Only Chelsea (8) have conceded more goals from non-penalty set-pieces in the Premier League this season than Crystal Palace (6).
Liverpool have earned more points away from home in the Premier League this season than any other side (13). It’s the Reds’ joint-most ever from their first five away matches of a league campaign.