Liverpool keep Premier League lead with win at Crystal Palace

LONDON – Liverpool manager Arne Slot hailed a “special” win, as his team remained top of the English Premier League thanks to Diogo Jota’s winner in a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Oct 5.

The Dutchman has now won nine of his first 10 games since succeeding Jurgen Klopp, but will be frustrated that the Reds invited a late onslaught from the winless Eagles.

Victory also came at a cost for Liverpool as goalkeeper Alisson Becker limped off in the closing stages ahead of a much more testing run of fixtures after the international break.

“Mostly for me, it’s special,” Slot said.

“Players go to their national team and they think of the national team, but for me if I lose it is three to four days of being unhappy. I think my wife will be happy as she will have someone home who is happy.

“Really satisfied with how we started the season. It is a good start, not only the results, but I liked our performance today. There was a period of the game we conceded free kicks and that was a difficult period. For the last 10 minutes, we kept the ball very well.”

Despite Slot’s good start to his Anfield tenure, he has been quick to point out that tougher tests lie ahead of his side’s Premier League title contenders.

Liverpool face Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City in their next six league games.

“The fixtures are difficult. It is good that we have won these games and it is up to us to show ourselves in the big games,” he added.

“Unfortunately, Alisson will not be with us in these matches with how he walked off the pitch.”

One concern would be consistency during matches.

Slot saw both sides of his team at Selhurst Park as they failed to make the most of their first-half dominance, but held out at the back for a fifth clean sheet in seven league games.

Palace did have the ball in the net inside 30 seconds but Eddie Nketiah had strayed offside.

The Reds quickly took control and the lead after just nine minutes, when Jota stole in ahead of Marc Guehi and Trevoh Chalobah to prod in Cody Gakpo’s low cross.

Palace finally flickered into life in first-half stoppage time, when Ismaila Sarr was denied by a fine save from Alisson after finding a gap in the Liverpool defence.

The pattern continued into the second period, with Liverpool unable to put Palace to bed.

Mohamed Salah should have done better when he fired straight at Dean Henderson after being picked out by a perfect Virgil van Dijk pass. Jota then headed wide a glorious chance from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free kick.

Liverpool were dealt a body blow with 11 minutes remaining, when Alisson pulled up with a muscle injury.

Usual back-up Caoimhin Kelleher was also absent due to illness, so Czech Vitezslav Jaros was forced into his Liverpool debut. He had to make one huge save and also rushed impressively off his line to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta.

But all was good in the end and Liverpool will go into the upcoming international break at the summit and happy with the start to life under Slot.

“I think it’s always hard to come here. The results over the years have all been very tight and close,” said Liverpool captain and Man of the Match van Dijk.

“We could have played a bit better in the second half. We keep going and we keep working. We are never satisfied. Overall, it’s a big three points and we go into the international break on a high.”

In the later games, Arsenal and City both kept up the pressure on the Reds by winning their respective matches to stay one point adrift of Liverpool on 17 points, although both teams had to come back from going behind.

City saw off Fulham 3-2 but the Cottagers could have secured at least a draw, with Adama Traore squandering three good chances. The Gunners, meanwhile, beat Southampton 3-1. AFP, REUTERS