Liverpool were aiming to take a massive step towards securing a Champions League spot for next season with a win against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Reds’ pursuit of a top-five finish had been enhanced by their win at Everton the previous Sunday courtesy of Virgil van Dijk’s last-gasp header, as well as Chelsea’s defeat at home to Manchester United.
A home game with Palace looked an excellent opportunity to clinch another three points, with the visitors potentially having one eye on Thursday’s away first leg of their Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot remained wary of an Eagles side who beat them on penalties in the Community Shield as well as the reverse Premier League fixture and the EFL Cup this season.
He said: “As always, what makes it difficult is the players you face. They have a good team. They already had a good team two or three years ago.
“They have a very good manager [Oliver Glasner] who is able to bring a lot of discipline to that team. It is really hard to create chances against them.
“It doesn’t matter what game you are watching. You haven’t seen the other team create a chance against them.
“On the other hand, they are very direct with their attacking style. They have conceded the fewest goals after Arsenal [and Manchester City]. That tells you a lot.”
Outgoing boss Glasner was preparing to lead Palace at Anfield for the final time and said his players had a “massive chance” to earn a fourth win of 2025/26 against them.
“If we win twice against Liverpool, it’s very good,” said the Austrian. “To win three times is amazing. Now we have the opportunity to win against Liverpool four times in one season.
“It’s something unique – you don’t play a team like Liverpool four times a year very often. Having three wins already is massive.
“We are really happy and motivated because maybe this will never happen again. Anfield is such an amazing stadium.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace stats
- Liverpool lost the fixture this season on penalties in the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium, 2-1 in the Premier League at Selhurst Park in September and 3-0 at Anfield in the EFL Cup fourth round in October
- They had been winless in their preceding three Premier League home games against Crystal Palace (D2 L1), having won five in a row against them at Anfield immediately beforehand
- As well as seven victories in their last 11 Premier League games (D1 L3), Liverpool have won three league games in a row for a fourth time this season
- Salah had scored in each of his last three Premier League starts (three goals), having only netted twice in his previous 14 starts
- Palace failed to complete the league double over Liverpool for a third time, having done so 1991/92 and 2014/15
- They have never achieved a league double in the same season against the reigning champions
- Had Strand Larsen’s effort gone in, the Eagles would have netted exactly twice in six straight Premier League games against the reigning champions, but Manchester City remain the only team to score at least two goals in six in a row against title-holders in the competitions, doing so from September 2013 to May 2017
- The last team to beat the Reds twice at Anfield in the same season were Arsenal in 2006/07
- Ismaila Sarr’s run of scoring in four straight appearances against Liverpool in all competitions (5 goals) came to an end
- In English football, Sarr only has more goals against Aston Villa (8) than he does against the Reds (7)
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