Palace 0-2 Liverpool: Five talking points
Liverpool secured a second successive Premier League victory of the season with a hard-fought 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Monday night.
James Milner broke the deadlock for Jürgen Klopp’s side with a penalty in the final minute of the first half and, after the Eagles tested their visitors persistently in the second period, Sadio Mane sealed three points with a stoppage-time breakaway.
It was a just reward for a resolute display by the Reds. Here are five things we spotted at Selhurst Park…
Milner the man from 12 yards
After four different players took penalties for Liverpool last season, a fifth was in charge from 12 yards during pre-season in the form of Mane.
But when the referee pointed to the spot for a foul by former Reds centre-back Mamadou Sakho on Mohamed Salah in the closing moments of the first half, it was Milner – wearing the captain’s armband – who stepped up.
His calm, rolled penalty in the opposite direction to Wayne Hennessey’s dive increased a fine record for the No.7, who has converted nine of his 10 Premier League penalties for the club.
An even more remarkable streak was extended as a result, too: Milner has never finished on the losing side when he has scored in a Premier League match, winning 38 and drawing 10.
Sadio strikes against Palace again
Having found the net twice in Liverpool’s opening-weekend win over West Ham United, Mane set a new club record when he struck in stoppage-time at Selhurst Park.
The Senegal international, who was on target in each of the two victories against the Eagles last term, is the first Reds player to score in three successive league meetings between the sides.
It was a perfect way to mark Mane’s 150th appearance in English football and the No.10 jointly leads the Premier League scoring charts alongside Sergio Aguero and Richarlison after two rounds of games.
Watch: Extended highlights of the game
A big save by Alisson
In his media previews ahead of the trip south, Klopp discussed the specific training exercises new goalkeeper Alisson Becker has been undergoing since joining up with the Reds.
The work is designed to ready the Brazil international for the challenges of the Premier League and, in particular, the necessity to deal with opposition set-pieces sent into his penalty box.
But it was from a direct free-kick that Alisson proved especially pivotal here.
Early in the second half, with the Eagles rallying as they searched for an equaliser, Luka Milivojevic swept a dead-ball effort from 20 yards that was destined for the inside of the right post – until the Reds stopper stretched well to palm it clear and deny the home side the momentum they craved.
Two competitive appearances, two clean sheets now for the No.13.
Gomez and Van Dijk dominate
On a night when Liverpool really had to battle for the points, the fledgling centre-back partnership of Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk came to the fore under pressure.
The combined figures show their influence on keeping a determined Palace at bay: 30 duels, 20 in the air, 11 clearances, five tackles, 149 passes and 173 touches.
But watching them perhaps told you more than the statistics ever could. Neither was prepared to yield an inch in the face of the hosts’ power and pace – and neither did.
Two out of two ain't bad
Early days though they may be, the numbers look excellent for the Reds.
Only reigning champions Manchester City have scored more than the six goals netted by Klopp’s men in their opening two fixtures.
None of the other 19 Premier League teams can match Liverpool defensively, however – they are the only club to have registered back-to-back clean sheets.
Thirty-six to go!