Crystal Palace 1–3 Liverpool: What we learned and Andoni Iraola reaction

Liverpool picked up a big 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on November 8th. The victory moved the Reds Top 4 on the EPL Table heading into the International Break and drops the Eagles to last place in the Premier League. It was also Liverpool’s 5 straight EPL road win as surprisingly, their form has been better away from home than at Anfield. See which players had the biggest impact on the game and what Andoni Iraola thought of the performance

1. Standout performer and selection impact

Alexis Mac Allister. Liverpool have been blessed with a strong midfield and the development of Trey Nyoni has only added to the depth. In the match vs. Palace, Mac Allister showed his quality. Though not the tallest player on the pitch, Mac Allister worked himself in prime positions for headers on set pieces that paid off in one goal and nearly another. He also helped to neutralize Adam Wharton in the midfield and had a few defensive headers when the need arose. Mac Allister plays with passion, which gets him booked too often, but the match against Crystal Palace proves just how valuable he is to the squad.

2. Tactical turning point

The fact that Liverpool kept pushing for insurance goals. Some teams, armed with a 1-0 lead on the road against a determined team like Crystal Palace, would have sat back with extra defenders. Not Liverpool and it paid off in two more goals. It’s too early in the season to talk about goal-difference tiebreakers, but every goal is important.

3. What Andoni Iraola said and what comes next

After the match, Andoni Iraola admitted how much Liverpool needed the win.

“I think we needed this win, definitely, especially after the defeat the other day in Turkiye,” he said. “We arrived also very late on Thursday night and an away game, another away game, and you need to find ways to win in these kind of stadiums, and I’m very pleased for the three points. I think in the first half the game was quite open, chances for both teams, and I think there is a save from Alisson that is key for us. And to score that first goal I think has been important, to go to the half-time one up, and in the second half I think we defended much better, we controlled much better the game. But in the first half it was quite open.”

Liverpool will now enjoy a lengthy break. The Reds do not return to the pitch until November 22nd when they host struggling Manchester United.

LFC Globe Verdict

This was exactly the kind of match and result Liverpool needed. It wasn’t as easy as the 3-1 scoreline might indicate, but they got the job done and have a ton of momentum heading into the last part of November and a busy month of December. Now it’s time to rest, and maybe get some key players back from injury so we can keep climbing the table.

Have your say

How big do you think the win was? Drop a comment below.