Both teams tried to win, but neither could score the all-important goal that would separate them. In the first half, the home team’s Jean-Philippe Mateta hit the post, and Mohamed Salah’s shot after the break hit the crossbar and went out. As the points were shared, it was as close as either side could get to breaking the deadlock in the capital. Liverpool made four changes for their game against the Eagles.
Liverpool draw Crystal Palace in Premier League
Diogo Jota was the first player on the field. The forward replaced the injured Darwin Nunez in the starting lineup. Naby Keita, Joel Matip, and James Milner were also chosen. The first few minutes went by without any trouble, but Cody Gakpo set up Salah to fire the first warning shot that went just wide of the near post. At the other end, Mateta tried to take advantage of a bad pass from the defense, but Alisson Becker rushed out and forced the striker to take an early shot that went wide.
Jota then had a hard volley saved by Vicente Guaita after Andy Robertson did a good job setting him up down the left side. Later, he hit the outside of the post from close range after Matip sent a free kick back across the goal. Marc Guehi, a defender for Palace, came close when he sent a fast header past Alisson’s post during a similar set-piece delivery from out wide. The home team finished the half on a stronger note. Mateta hit the bar from inside the box after Salah had been stopped by Guaita again on a breakaway.
The Reds started on the attack, and Salah hit the crossbar just four minutes after halftime when the ball fell to him inside the box. Trent Alexander-Arnold also made Guaita work harder, and after some good footwork, Jota sent a shot over the bar. With 20 minutes left, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho came off the bench to try to make things more interesting. Both teams kept trying to get the upper hand.
Palace’s Jeffrey Schlupp shot wide, and Firmino was just inches away from a cushioned header by Robertson. Gakpo then dribbled a shot wide late in the game, which was the Reds’ last real chance to score. Guaita had rushed forward to stop Salah’s pass, which led to Gakpo taking the shot.
