Isak goal helps Liverpool to routine win against Palace and close in on Champions League

[p]Arne Slot’s side had already lost three times to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Crystal Palace[/a] earlier in the season, but they started with a confidence belying such an unwelcome record.[/p][p]They thought they had a penalty midway through the first half after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wirtz-florian/0Q5gjImi/"]Florian Wirtz[/a] released [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/salah-mohamed/08FBycgB/"]Mohamed Salah[/a], who was felled by a last-ditch [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/johnson-brennan/6XhWIWPP/"]Brennan Johnson[/a] challenge. [/p][p][b]However, a VAR intervention rightly gave the Eagles a reprieve, with the Wales international deemed to have got a sufficient touch on the ball. But the breakthrough seemed like it was coming, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isak-alexander/p41IV42c/"]Alexander Isak[/a] was ultimately the one to deliver it, bringing a speculative [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mac-allister-alexis/fDPhMB8M/"]Alexis Mac Allister[/a] effort under his spell and diverting it beyond [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/henderson-dean/OpFOJojt/"]Dean Henderson[/a]. [/b][/p][p]Crystal Palace mustered a lively response, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mateta-jean-philippe/nsFUj6GN/"]Jean-Philippe Mateta[/a] tested [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woodman-frederick/lz3Id13R/"]Freddie Woodman[/a] at the near post after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a] had turned the ball over cheaply. From the resulting corner, the goalkeeper made an even better save, this time to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lacroix-maxence/j5bGWFU7/"]Maxence Lacroix[/a].[/p][p][b]And the third-choice stopper was soon being serenaded by the Kop, after the Reds scored from the subsequent breakaway, a flowing move that saw Wirtz and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jones-curtis/OnQz9w8h/"]Curtis Jones[/a] combine to set up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robertson-andrew/6e7Be9VI/"]Andy Robertson[/a] for what may be his last goal for the club.[/b][/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="77a60813-75c6-43ea-80cd-e1db9cf60666" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="9f557d5a-b64b-40fc-a811-f0e7514d13cb" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]Isak nearly added a second to his tally after the break, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/canvot-jaydee/fPUrL2AL/"]Jaydee Canvot[/a] did really well to track him all the way, just about keeping [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/glasner-oliver/CznGurCt/"]Oliver Glasner[/a]’s side in the contest. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sarr-ismaila/ll2uTDkB/"]Ismaïla Sarr[/a] came close to halving the deficit, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/van-dijk-virgil/U59RNqOr/"]Virgil van Dijk[/a] did enough to prevent the forward from netting an eighth career goal against Liverpool.[/p][p][b]However, Palace went on to grab a lifeline in bizarre fashion a little later, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/munoz-daniel/4vZVW6Ur/"]Daniel Munoz[/a] chipping into an empty net after Woodman had injured himself making a smart save against Sarr. [/b][/p][p]Fourth-choice Liverpool keeper Armin Pecsi was getting ready on the bench, but Woodman was able to continue, and watched on in relief as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/larsen-jorgen/lQ5EYyWg/"]Jorgen Strand Larsen[/a] could only find the post with the last big chance to equalise.[/p][p][b]Wirtz then settled the issue once and for all, crowning a superb display with an excellent stoppage-time strike that flew into the far corner. [/b][/p][p]The one major downside for Slot’s side was the fate of Salah, who was forced off with an apparent muscle injury that may threaten to bring a premature end to his legendary Anfield career.[/p][p]That thought certainly seemed to be on his mind, as he applauded all four corners of the ground before making his way off the pitch.[/p][p]Palace have now won just one of their last 19 meetings against teams who started the day in the top half of the PL table – with the lone victory ironically coming versus Liverpool in September.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="64b24218-41b3-44e0-9514-ad43ab1762fb" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="c035ab4f-530c-4310-9d37-817f009f628f" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Meanwhile, the Reds took full advantage of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a]’s lunchtime defeat and have moved up to fourth place on goal difference, with a healthy eight-point buffer to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brighton/2XrRecc3/"]Brighton[/a] in sixth.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wirtz-florian/0Q5gjImi/"]Florian Wirtz[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/liverpool/lId4TMwf/"]Liverpool[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/crystal-palace-AovF1Mia/liverpool-lId4TMwf/?mid=YaXS5GvH"][b]Click here for all the stats of the match[/b][/a].[/p]