A James Milner red card would not stop Jurgen Klopp’s men from etching another milestone into the manager’s early Premier League CV, winning at Selhurst Park for the first time in 19 years.
Coming off an impressive 3-0 win at home to Manchester City, Liverpool travelled to their ‘bogey ground’ to face a Crystal Palace side facing very different circumstances. Without a win in 2016, Alan Pardew’s men were hoping for Liverpool’s Selhurst worries to continue, as the Reds attempted to maintain their late push on the top four.
Neither team were all that impressive in the final third during the first-half. Liverpool had 63% possession but failed to register a shot on target, and Palace could not seem to click.
However, three minutes into the second-half, the prototypical Palace vs Liverpool goal pierced the away side’s net when Joe Ledley hammered home from a poorly-cleared corner.
The Merseysiders pushed for an equaliser, but things turned from bad to worse as James Milner received a second yellow card. This would energise Liverpool though, now down to 10 men. A howler from goalkeeper Alex McCarthy gifted a chance to Roberto Firmino, who put it away with aplomb.
Both sides threatened for a the winner, but it would be the substitute Christian Benteke who’s fortunes shone brightest. After Damien Delaney clumsily slid in with his knee and took the Belgian off of his feet. the referee pointed to the spot and Benteke slotted it home, giving Liverpool their first Premier League victory at Selhurst Park since December 1997.
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From doubters to believers
It was a performance epitomising the mercurial German’s influence on the side. If last week was what Liverpool could do when all cylinders were firing perfectly – a resounding 3-0 win over Manchester City – then this was a hard-fought, ground out win that perfectly sums up Jurgen Klopp’s ethos on believing in the team’s ability to fight. At Selhurst Park where the wounds have never truly healed, the turning point from Brendan Rodgers’ mentally fragile side to Klopp’s never-say-die attitude was fully realised. He is making people believe again.
Firmino’s abundant potential
Amid the drama of Benteke’s winner, Roberto Firmino once more showed why £21 million may have been a bargain price for the sensational Brazilian. It was not necessarily his best display, nor his most influential, but all it took was the opportunism to seize the moment and the calmness to finish to make his mark on the game again. That is five goals and four assists in his last six Premier League appearances, and seven goals and four assists in 2016 – the most involvements of any player in the Premier League.
Palace need a solution quickly
Penalty call aside (though Alan Pardew probably would not be as quick to dismiss it) Crystal Palace desperately need a solution to a now burgeoning problem, they need a win. Yet to see three points since December 13th and without a league triumph in 2016, fans are now possibly wising up to the Alan Pardew that Newcastle warned them about. They currently sit level with Swansea City at the end of the mid-table pack in 15th, leading only the bottom four of Norwich, Newcastle and the diabolical Aston Villa – whose only victory of 2016 came against Crystal Palace. For a side that looked so good in November, this result is perfectly emblematic of their fall from grace.
Emre Can the powerhouse is fitting Klopp like a glove
Since Jurgen Klopp’s managerial reign first began, 22 year-old Emre Can has been simply sublime. The powerhouse of the midfielder is a tremendous talent, with an extremely promising future. Evident in one of his most measured, confident displays in the centre of the park for Liverpool, Can was the spiritual leader on the pitch – especially when his team went down to 10 men. With an astonishing 93% aerial win percentage, five defensive actions, and the ability to look glued to the ball at his feet, Can’s domineering display echoed that of last week’s emphatic win and has many Liverpool fans now watering at the mouth to see what he can become.
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