Crystal Palace vs Liverpool brings two teams desperate for a lift to Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon, with the Reds chasing a response to back-to-back defeats and the hosts fighting for their Premier League lives. Kick-off is at 15:00 WAT, and the match is live on Sky Sports.
Liverpool arrive in south London sixth in the table on 15 points from nine games, already 12 points behind leaders Arsenal, and Andoni Iraola’s side cannot afford another slip before the international break. Palace, meanwhile, sit 18th on seven points, deep in the relegation zone, and without the striker who has carried their attack.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool: Palace in the drop zone without their striker
Crystal Palace’s problems are piling up. Pierre Sage’s side have lost their last three league games without scoring a goal — beaten 5-0 at Brighton, 2-0 by Newcastle and 2-0 by Tottenham — and they go into Sunday’s game without Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is suspended after his red card against Spurs.
Ismaila Sarr is also unavailable through injury, along with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Chadi Riad, leaving Sage to choose between Jorgen Strand Larsen and Eddie Nketiah to lead the line. Nketiah, at least, knows how to hurt Liverpool: he snatched a stoppage-time winner against the Reds last season.
There was a small lift in midweek, when Daichi Kamada’s late equaliser rescued a Europa League draw with Hoffenheim, but Palace’s league form is the concern. They have failed to score in three of their last four league outings, and a fourth straight defeat would leave them rooted in the bottom three heading into the break.
Liverpool need a response after two defeats
Liverpool’s week has been just as uncomfortable. A 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal — Kai Havertz scoring after 16 minutes — was followed by a 3-2 Champions League loss at Fenerbahce on Wednesday, a game in which Iraola bemoaned the “cheap goals” his side conceded.
The Liverpool head coach has also identified defending set-plays as an area needing improvement, and Selhurst Park is a demanding place to fix it. Any trip to Palace is enough to fill a Liverpool supporter with dread, regardless of recent form, and the hosts will sense a wounded side.
Team news is mixed for the visitors. Ryan Gravenberch remains a doubt with the heel problem that kept him out against Arsenal and Fenerbahce, and Jeremie Frimpong will not be ready, while Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni remain long-term absentees. But Ronald Araujo, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak are all expected to return to the starting side after being on the bench in Istanbul, and Wirtz’s creativity could be key against a deep-lying Palace defence.
Team news and prediction
Crystal Palace predicted line-up (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Disasi; Khalaili, Lerma, Wharton, Mitchell; Pino, Kamada; Strand Larsen.
Liverpool predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Nyoni, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak.
The bookmakers make Liverpool clear favourites, and the form guide points the same way despite the Reds’ difficult week. Palace are without their main striker and their confidence is shot, while Liverpool’s returning players should freshen a side that has looked leggy. Our prediction is Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool, with Isak — the 7/2 favourite for the first goal — to get the Reds going.
For today’s other fixtures and betting angles, check today’s predictions.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC0 — Timmy96; CC BY-SA 3.0 de — Arne Müseler) — collage by SportsBuddy.
