Another first half performance from Liverpool was enough to see off Crystal Palace at Anfield thanks to goals from Suarez, Sturridge and Gerrard.
Liverpool 3-1 Crystal Palace
Premier League, Saturday 5th October 2013
Liverpool began with just one change to the side that beat Sunderland last Sunday with Raheem Sterling coming in for the suspended Lucas Leiva. Jordan Henderson moved into central midfield alongside Steven Gerrard while Sterling was tasked with a right wing-back role.
The Reds started the game brightly and were duly rewarded on 13 minutes when a tenacious Luis Suarez poked home the first of the game after a cutback from Jose Enrique.
Capitalising on their early dominance, Daniel Sturridge doubled the lead four minutes later, cutting in from wide left following a long ball upfield and neatly finishing at the far post across Julian Speroni.
Palace provided a response, enjoying a good period of possession; forcing a smart reflex save from Simon Mignolet and a goal-line clearance from Kolo Toure.
Hope of a revival was quickly dashed however with the award of a Liverpool penalty after Dean Moxley was adjudged to have fouled Sterling in the box. Steven Gerrard stepped up to cooly dispatch the spot-kick into the bottom left hand corner leaving Brendan Rodgers’ men going into half-time three to the good.
Following the break, Liverpool were firmly in cruise control yet created few clear-cut opportunities.
With the Reds easing off the gas, Crystal Palace were able to take the incentive on 77 minutes after a Jose Campana free-kick was flicked home by Dwight Gale.
The goal sparked some life into Liverpool, however, the best they could muster was Strurridge hitting the woodwork with five minutes left to play.
A professional performance from Liverpool and the squads’s fifth win of the season takes them to the summit of the Premier League for at least the next 24 hours with Arsenal playing West Brom at the Hawthorns on Sunday afternoon.
Goals: Suarez (13), Sturridge (17), Gerrard (38 pen)
Liverpool: Mignolet; Toure, Skrtel, Sakho (Agger 67); Sterling, Gerrard, Henderson, Enrique; Moses (Alberto 67); Suarez, Sturridge (Aspas 88).
Unused substitutes: Jones, Wisdom, Ilori, Ibe.
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