Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak scored for Liverpool as the Reds beat Crystal Palace. This is what we spotted, with plenty still to work on for Andoni Iraola.
Florian Wirtz and his Liverpool teammates celebrate at Crystal Palace.
Florian Wirtz and his Liverpool teammates celebrate at Crystal Palace.(Image: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
SELHURST PARK, SOUTH LONDON // A fairly unconvincing Liverpool saw out a crucial win at Crystal Palace with Alexis Mac Allister and Florian Wirtz scoring on either side of half-time.
Yeremy Pino smashed a shot off the crossbar in an intense opening quarter, and Jorgen Strand Larsen was narrowly offside when he cleverly put the ball past Alisson Becker. But it was Mac Allister who netted first, heading home from a free-kick after Cody Gakpo had been fouled.
Wirtz doubled the Reds' lead early in the second half and this time, Andoni Iraola's side managed to see things out, with Alexander Isak netting a third and Eddie Nketiah netted a late penalty. Here are the five things Liverpool.com spotted as the game unfolded.
Liverpool attack still to click
The Gakpo-Wirtz-Barcola-Isak front four is fast becoming a mainstay for Liverpool in the games that matter the most, but it would be fair to say there is much work left to do.
Gakpo is not a natural down the right-hand side, where he played in the first half, and Wirtz was struggling to stop the ball bouncing off him early on. Barcola, being jeered after exaggerating a minor contact inside the penalty area, was starting to get frustrated too, and Isak barely had a kick.
The decision-making of that front four was very poor and it looks a long way off being in a groove and a flow. Chemistry can sometimes take time.
Barcola showed resilience to improve in the second half, and Wirtz should benefit from scoring. There is, though, a hell of a lot of work still to be done. The three points were earned here despite a faltering attack rather than because of its huge potential, even with two of them scoring.
Oscar Mingueza of Crystal Palace and Bradley Barcola of Liverpool.
Oscar Mingueza of Crystal Palace and Bradley Barcola of Liverpool.(Image: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Alisson impresses
Liverpool was all over the place defensively against Fenerbahce just a few days ago, but those struggles at the back have largely been reserved for the Champions League so far this term.
In the Premier League, Andoni Iraola's men have tended to be alright, with goal scoring often more difficult to come by. Before kick-off, three of the five teams above Liverpool in the standings had conceded more.
Strand Larsen and Wharton both would have thought that they had a strong chance of beating Alisson in the first half, though, and Liverpool was taking far too many risks. That Liverpool only conceded once was a mixture of good goalkeeping and good fortune.
Having ridden its luck early doors, Liverpool then moved ahead in the game. Scoring the first goal was vital, and the second coming so early in the second half helped establish a bit more control.
Alexis Mac Allister strong
At the start of the Iraola era, Mac Allister has found his form again. His knack for netting goals from headers has returned, and the Liverpool man was decisive here when Quinten Timber simply decided not to bother marking him.
Whatever the reason for the change, Liverpool is benefiting from it. Mac Allister has seen his energy levels return and he is back to popping the ball around the pitch from the center again.
Szoboszlai was clearly determined to make an impact, and Trey Nyoni has staked his claim in recent games. Mac Allister, though, is back to being the best midfielder Liverpool has again.
Trey Nyoni makes his mark
Nyoni was very impressive in matches against Arsenal and Fenerbahce this week, but the player himself noted heading into this one that he is not used to playing as often as he has of late — even at youth level.
With Dominik Szoboszlai back available, it was not a huge shock that the more senior option was restored. Nyoni starting three games in a week would have been something of a surprise.
Szoboszlai looked determined until he needed his leg to be strapped up, putting some excellent balls into the box, including the cross for Mac Allister's goal.
When Nyoni came on, things looked more solid for Liverpool. It is worth noting, however, that the scoreline was already 2-0 at that stage. That, in all likelihood, was a major contributing factor, alongside his poise.
Andoni Iraola still with work to do
With the midweek defeat against Fenerbahce arguably the one loss that Liverpool has suffered this season where Iraola's side wasn't heading into the game firmly as second favorites, this was a crucial chance to bounce back.
That defeat in Turkiye — and the disappointing late turnaround that Liverpool allowed — could have been explained away much more easily with a strong performance here, but there was at least a hard-fought victory to celebrate.
"If Liverpool don't win, it will feel like a disappointing start to the season," Jamie Carragher had said before kick-off. Perhaps a little fortuitously, the Reds did enough.