Liverpool toiled to a 0-0 draw with a Crystal Palace side who haven’t won a game in 2023.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool
Premier League (23), Selhurst Park
February 25, 2023
Jurgen Klopp made four changes to the side that Real Madrid humbled in the week, two of them enforced and two in an attempt to freshen up the midfield.
James Milner and Naby Keita, two players whose contracts are up in the summer, came in to give the midfield trio a combined age of 97. The lineup itself featured just three players aged under 28.
Liverpool had plenty of possession early on against a Palace side who had scored five goals in eight games and not won this calendar year, yet Trent Alexander-Arnold almost contrived to gift the home side the lead in the 13th minute with more sloppy play.
Marc Guehi then had a free header from a free-kick which he put wide, leaving Klopp furious on the sideline.
A powerful free-kick from Alexander-Arnold just before the half-hour summed up this Liverpool team this season, blocked by his own player, Jordan Henderson, as it thundered goalbound.
“We have to same desire and excitement as before the Real Madrid game,” said Klopp pre-match, but the excitement was lacking for Reds supporters.
Indeed, Palace worked their way into the game and had a few good chances before the break, including Jean-Philippe Mateta hitting the bar after yet more poor defending from Alexander-Arnold.
It was Joel Matip‘s turn to mess up a backpass minutes later, Alisson bailing him out. Liverpool’s defence continued to look like a clown show.
Half time: Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool
After a truly awful first 45, Keita was subbed at half time for the fourth time in his Liverpool career, replaced by Harvey Elliott.
Elliott’s introduction, briefly at least, added some spark down the right. Salah hit the bar with a first-time effort shortly after the break, then forced Vicente Guita into a save.
Diogo Jota, without a goal in 10 months, blazed over inside the box from a difficult angle when the shot wasn’t on.
It was massively a case of it being a good job the opponent was equally awful.
Roberto Firmino and Fabinho were introduced with 20 minutes to go, the latter booked within six minutes of being on the pitch.
Arguably the best chance of the game fell for Gakpo in the 81st minute, played in by Salah but his chipped attempt went wide.
The game ended in a stalemate. It was certainly two dropped, not one won.
A third consecutive cleansheet in the league, but a far from positive night for Liverpool.
TIA Man of the Match: Alisson
Referee: Darren England
Crystal Palace: Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Doucoure, Lokonga, Schlupp; Olise, Mateta, Ayew
Subs: Whitworth, Ward, Richards, Milivojevic, Hughes, McArthur, Ahamada, Eze, Edouard
Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Fabinho 71′), Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Keita (Elliott 46′); Salah, Jota (Firmino 71′), Gakpo (Bajcetic 85′)
Subs not used: Kelleher, Williams, Tsimikas, Jones, Carvalho
Next Match: Wolves (home, Wednesday 1 March)
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