Crystal Palace vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League team news, line-ups and more as Arne Slot makes four changes
The Reds look to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table
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Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace for Saturday’s early kick off knowing that a victory will keep them at the top of the Premier League table.
Five wins and one defeat from their opening six matches mean Arne Slot’s side have a one point lead over current champions Manchester City and last season’s runners-up Arsenal. Liverpool secured three points against Wolves in their last league fixture thanks to a Mo Salah penalty in the second half.
“Everyone is realistic enough, all the players they understand that six games into the season doesn’t give you a realistic view on the league table,” Slot said.
Crystal Palace will certainly be hoping that is the case. The Eagles sit 18th in the table having not managed a single win in the top flight so far. An encouraging 0-0 draw with Man Utd was followed by a heart-breaking 2-1 loss to Everton as the Toffees came from behind to triumph at Goodison Park. Will Palace fare better against a different Merseyside club today?
Follow all the action with our live blog below plus get the latest odds a predictions here:
Will Mateta be a super sub?
Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored 15 times in his previous 11 home games in all competitions but he starts on the bench today. Will he influence the game as a substitute?
Palace have a decent home record
Crystal Palace have won two of their four home fixtures in all competitions this term, drawing one and losing the other.
Eddie Nketiah on his Crystal Palace bromance, playing No 10 and why he left Arsenal: ‘It was time to go’
Eberechi Eze ambles over to take the free-kick and as he does so, Eddie Nketiah scans his surroundings. It is still early in this Carabao Cup third-round tie and QPR’s defenders are busy getting organised. Eze and Nketiah make the briefest eye contact and the grift is on: Eze quickly slides the ball into a vacant channel down the right side of the box, and before a defender can react, Nketiah peels into space before unleashing a first-time shot through the goalkeeper’s legs.
It is Crystal Palace’s first glimpse of what to expect from their £25m summer signing, the second most expensive transfer in the club’s history. The understanding, the intelligence, the economy of effort: in one run and one touch, Nketiah showed the sharp edge he adds to a team.
Eddie Nketiah on his Crystal Palace bromance, playing No 10 and why he left Arsenal
After nearly a decade at Arsenal, Nketiah returned to where it all began in south London with a £25m summer transfer to Crystal Palace and the striker tells Lawrence Ostlere about his bid to reboot his career
Can Liverpool shut Palace out?
Liverpool failed to keep a clean sheet in all seven Premier League visits to London last season, dropping points in four of those matches (W3, D2, L2).
Slot’s successful start
Arne Slot is the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his opening nine games in charge. Liverpool have won all four of their away matches this season across all competitions.
Pre-match thoughts from Oliver Glasner:
“We want to play against Liverpool, we want to compete with the best teams and we want to get our first win. Today no one expects us to get three points but we want it and its an opportunity for us to get a win.
“I’m really convinced the team will give everything they have and we will see.”
Crystal Palace make worst start to season
The Eagles have equalled their second-worst start to a campaign over the past 12 seasons. Ian Holloway’s newly-promoted side also earned three points from six matches in 2013-14.
Gravenberch opens up on start to season
Ryan Gravenberch has spoken about Liverpool’s start to the season and how he is fitting into his new midfield role. He said:
“I know Dom [Szoboszlai] and Alexis [Mac Allister] really well. If you play often with them, you know the quality of them and then - I don’t know the word for it - but when Mac Allister goes higher, I have to come on, so we know from each other what the other guys are going to do. We know everything from each other [and] also now we play a lot of games together.
“I think a player always wants to play every game. Obviously the last two seasons at Bayern [Munich] I didn’t play that much [and] last season I played more. This season I get a lot of minutes, so the confidence is really back and I think it shows. I think the games in September went really well and when you’re getting minutes the confidence comes back.
“It came quite naturally. When I first spoke with the coach he said to me, ‘I see you as a No.8 like last season, but I want to try you as a No.6 as well.’ So, I was like, ‘OK, yeah, we can do it!’ I said to him, ‘Of course, we can do it!’ and the rest is history.”
Palace seeking first win of season
Crystal Palace are still seeking their first Premier League victory this season, having drawn three and lost three of their opening six games.
Arne Slot identifies the key to Liverpool’s title bid after struggle under Jurgen Klopp
Arne Slot has targeted transforming Liverpool’s away form as the answer to his “£10m question” after concluding their record on the road last season cost them the title.
Liverpool go to Crystal Palace on Saturday after winning all three away league matches under Slot, beating Ipswich, Manchester United and Wolves, and prevailing in their Champions League opener against AC Milan at the San Siro.
In Jurgen Klopp’s final season, Liverpool had the best home record in the Premier League as they took 48 points, one more than both champions Manchester City and runners-up Arsenal.
Arne Slot identifies key to Liverpool’s title bid after struggle under Jurgen Klopp
Slot has spotted the major difference between Liverpool and champions Manchester City last season
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