LIVERPOOL EXTENDED THEIR lead at the top of the Premier League to four points thanks to Diogo Jota’s winner in a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Arne Slot has now won nine of his first 10 games since succeeding Jurgen Klopp, but will be frustrated that the visitors 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.
With normal back-up Caoimhin Kelleher absent due to illness, Czech international Vítězslav Jaroš made his Liverpool debut. Jaroš spent the 2021 season on loan at St Patrick’s Athletic, and helped the Dublin outfit to FAI Cup glory.
Congrats to Vitezslav Jaros on making his Premier League debut for Liverpool today. Our supporters’ Player of the Year from 2021 continues to build his excellent career! #StPatsFC pic.twitter.com/6WLWDAqkMS
— St Patrick's Athletic FC (@stpatsfc) October 5, 2024
Defeat leaves Palace still in the bottom three with just three points from their opening seven games.
Slot’s seamless start to succeeding saw him become the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his first nine games after beating Bologna 2-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
However, the Dutchman has been quick to point out that tougher tests lie ahead of his side’s Premier League title credentials.
Liverpool face Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester City in their next six Premier League games.
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 before flicking in Ismaila Sarr’s cross.
Liverpool 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.
Jota was guilty of passing up the visitors’ best chance to add to their lead before the break.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s teasing cross did not get the finish it deserved as the Portugal international sliced well wide of the target.
Palace finally flickered into life in first-half stoppage time when 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.
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 Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick.
Slot’s men were nearly made to pay after Jean-Philippe Mateta’s introduction perked up the Palace attack.
Alisson got down low to his left to parry Nketiah’s effort before the Brazilian beat away Eberechi Eze’s powerful strike.
But Liverpool were dealt a blow with 12 minutes remaining when Alisson pulled up with a muscle injury.
Jaroš had to make one huge save from Eze and also rushed impressively off his line to deny Mateta a sight of goal.
Arsenal and Manchester City could cut the gap at the top back to one point later on Saturday.
But Liverpool will go into the upcoming international break at the summit and happy with the start to life under Slot.
Ireland U21 international Franco Umeh was an unused substitute for Palace.
Could easily have been a penalty to Palace. Liverpool deserved the win, but need to put away the game.
City will the league it be over in october ray ridge lol liverpool liverpool top the league
@Shawn: win
Great to see Jaros make his debut was a great keeper at Pat’s a couple of years back. Hope Allison’s injury isn’t too bad but I have to say it was a poor pass back from Trent hasn’t played to well with all this Real Madrid talk
He’s done well so far but we’d have expected to beat all those teams so far. The real test is the next few weeks.
@Fionn Bohane: agree, will know more about where Liverpool’s season is going after the Chelsea, Arsenal and Villa games. The fixture list was kind to Liverpool but you still you have to go win them
@Fionn Bohane: all top teams expect to win games but it dont work out like that its a fantastic start
@Shawn: sure is
Slot is creating history upon history in his Liverpool era.. He’s up there
Yeah great away that,Slot really doing the business – rested and rotated a few today as well.
Can’t ask for more…Keep it up lads!
@damien leen: Even when we win so much negitivety in comments from so call liverpool fans i for one am not worried we will beat so called tougher games comning up
@Shawn: it’s not negativity, it’s cautious optimism. As Liverpool fans we’re going through some sort of post kloppmatic stress, all those highs and lows. Is Slot going to be a Paisley or a Souness, we don’t know yet, the next few games will be a bigger test. This team definitely has another gear or two to go up though.
Another good away win that should have been more comfortable than it was, very nervy ending. Liverpool need to start finishing off teams when comfortably on top. Thought it was a certain Palace penalty, a blatant pull back by VVD. Glad to see Gakpo starting today. Hope Alison’s injury not too serious, he pulled off important saves.