LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, June 21, 2019: Liverpool’s Sadio Mané walks off the pitch at half-time during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 236th Merseyside Derby, at Goodison Park. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Why Sadio Mane can help Liverpool on way to breaking Sunderland’s 128-year record

Liverpool are aiming to break Sunderland‘s 128-year record of home wins this season, and Sadio Mane‘s fine record against Crystal Palace could help keep the dream alive.

Mane’s Palace

Mane has scored eight times in his 11 career appearances against Palace.

When Mane scored at Selhurst Park earlier in the campaign he became only the third Liverpool player to score in five Premier League games against a particular opponent after Michael Owen against Newcastle and Luis Suarez against Norwich.

 

Breaking Sunderland’s 128-Year Record

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, June 21, 2019: Liverpool’s manager Jürgen Klopp arrives at the stadium wearing a red face mask before the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 236th Merseyside Derby, at Goodison Park. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have won all 15 of their home league games this season and are aiming to become the first team since Brentford in Division 3 North in 1929/30 to win every home league game of a season.

The Londoners won 21 out of 21.

The last team to achieve the feat in the top flight was Sunderland, who won all 13 on their own patch in 1891/92.

Since Leicester drew at Anfield in January 2019, Liverpool have won all of their 22 home league games.

But Crystal Palace are the last visiting team to win at Anfield in the league—doing so in April 2017. Since then the Reds have won 45 and drawn 10 of 55 home fixtures in the top flight.

 

Time for a Century?

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, March 7, 2020: Liverpool's goal-scorers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 2-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool need two goals to register 100 for the season and in doing so would reach the landmark for a third season in a row for the first time since 1986/87.

Mane is two goals short of scoring 20 this season in league and cup and for the third campaign in a row and is also two goals away from registering 50 at Anfield for the Reds in all competitions.

Mo Salah has scored 14 goals in his 14 Anfield Premier League appearances this season.

He has found the net in all five of Liverpool’s home league games in this calendar year.

 

The Hodgson Effect

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, January 19, 2019: Crystal Palace's manager Roy Hodgson during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Crystal Palace have lost their last two visits to Anfield after winning their previous three.

The 3-1 league wins home and away in 2014/15 are the Eagles’ record league victories over Liverpool.

Crystal Palace have now lost five in a row against the Reds, their longest-ever losing run against Liverpool in the league.

Roy Hodgson has managed against Liverpool 14 games, winning three, drawing four and losing seven.

His last win came when he guided West Brom to a 1-0 victory at Anfield in April 2012.

 

A History of Goals

LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 23, 2019: Liverpool's Roberto Firmino scores the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

In the 21 Premier League clashes there have been 75 goals scored at an average of 3.57 goals per game, with Liverpool scoring in all but two of the meetings.

They have found the net in each of the last 13 top-flight clashes with Palace.

There have been two goalless draws in all league fixtures between the teams—in 1979/80 at Selhurst Park and at Anfield in December 1994.

The Reds’ biggest ever top-flight league win came against Palace in September 1989 when they won 9-0 in their last title-winning season.

They set a league record when eight different men found the net.

 

Milestones for Virgil and Fab

GENK, BELGIUM - Wednesday, October 23, 2019: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk (L) and Fabio Henrique Tavares 'Fabinho' lines-up before the UEFA Champions League Group E match between KRC Genk and Liverpool FC at the KRC Genk Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Virgil van Dijk is in line to play the 150th Premier League game of his career—this would be his 83rd Reds appearance.

Fabinho could make his 50th league appearance for Liverpool.

 

A Palace Revival?

LONDON, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 23, 2019: Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha celebrates scoring the first goal during the FA Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Palace’s 2-0 win at Bournemouth last Saturday saw them equal their top-flight club record of four successive clean sheets, a feat previously achieved from August to September 1970.

They last conceded a goal this season on Merseyside when they conceded three in a defeat at Everton in early February.

Their first goal on Saturday, scored in the 12th minute by Luka Milivojevic, was the first time this season they had found the net within the opening 20 minutes of a league fixture.

The victory at Bournemouth was also the first time that two players had scored for the Eagles in the same game since Boxing Day.

They last scored more than twice in a game on the final day of last season in a 5-3 win over Bournemouth.

 

This Season’s Scorers

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 1, 2020: Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum (L) and Southampton's James Ward-Prowse during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool: Salah 20, Mane 18, Firmino 11, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Origi 5, Wijnaldum 5, own goals 5, Milner 4, Van Dijk 4, Henderson 3, Keita 3, Alexander-Arnold 2, Jones 2, Matip 2, Robertson 2, Fabinho 1, Hoever 1, Lallana 1, Lovren 1, Shaqiri 1

Crystal Palace: Ayew 9, Milivojevic 3, Van Aanholt 3, Zaha 3, Schlupp 2, own goals 2, Benteke 1, Kouyate 1, Tomkins 1, Tosun 1, Townsend 1, Wickham 1


* Statistics courtesy of LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).