LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 8: Alexander Isak of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on November 8, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring Liverpool's third goal in their 3-1 win at Crystal Palace(Image: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)
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Liverpool moved up to fourth in the Premier League with a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak set up a relatively comfortable victory for the Reds before Eddie Nketiah scored a consolation in stoppage time.
The ECHO was south of the river to review proceedings with our usual match-day bundle. From the match verdict, player ratings, post-game analysis and the on-the-whistle reaction, we had you covered every step of the way. There was also a live blog and Iraola's assessment to read.
Our colleagues from the national media were also on hand to analyse events. Here's what they made of it as Liverpool got back to winning ways.
The Mirror's chief football writer John Cross writes: "This season will probably be more about securing Champions League football rather than a full-on title race.
"But after results like this, you can see why Liverpool fans have bought into Andoni Iraola’s exciting vision because they were ruthless, clinical and determined as they climbed up into the top four.
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"Their patience with Alexander Isak has reaped rewards because the Liverpool striker now looks unstoppable after his eighth goal in all competitions sealed the win.
"The Liverpool faithful are also still enthusiastically singing Bradley Barcola’s name even though the £123million signing has yet to score in the Premier League since his summer arrival.
"And, frankly, under-pressure Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage had better hope he gets as much understanding and sees out the forthcoming international break (also known as the sacking window).
"Palace do not have Liverpool’s resources but even big-money talent like Barcola, Isak and Florian Wirtz take time to settle. It was far from a flowing Liverpool performance, but they got the job done."
The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele reflects: "By this time of the season, spirited performances mean little if you don't have the results to go with it. Pierre Sage, who was sacked at Lyon two years ago, knows as much as anyone that this is a results-based business.
"And he simply has not had enough results. Despite having Liverpool on the ropes at times here, Crystal Palace failed to land a knockout blow and that could be that for their under-fire manager, who looked like a dead man walking when he trudged off the pitch at full-time with a face like thunder.
"Former Lens over-achiever Sage now seems set for a stuffing six weeks before Christmas and though he may curse at the small margins that denied his team a chance of a heavyweight and potential job-saving scalp here, the boss knows two wins in 10 league games is not good enough.
"Liverpool, meanwhile, had the width of the crossbar and a throwback performance from goalkeeper Alisson to thank. In contrast to Sage, Andoni Iraola's side showed grit and determination to win when far from their best.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Yeremi Pino of Crystal Palace has a shot saved by Alisson Becker of Liverpool during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on November 08, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
Yeremy Pino has a shot saved by Alisson Becker during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Selhurst Park(Image: Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
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"This victory would not have been possible, though, without Alisson, now 34 and in the final year of his deal. For all the attacking talent at Iraola's disposal, the Basque will be delighted at his team's defensive determination when under the kosh here as Palace had 10 first-half shots."
On The Times' pages, Alyson Rudd writes: "In truth Liverpool glided and were occasionally vulnerable at the back but never really looked in danger of losing control of the game. It was exactly the sort of contest Andoni Iraola’s players needed.
"Victory meant that Liverpool have garnered more points (13) away from home in the Premier League this season than any other club.
"Liverpool’s goals were scored by Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, while Palace’s came from Eddie Nketiah placing his spot kick beyond Alisson at the death for a consolation.
"The boos at the final whistle were directed more towards the officials than the Palace players. No one could doubt that they had given their all, even if few inside Selhurst Park believed it would be enough.
"The last action of the match was Nketiah’s penalty after a foul by Milos Kerkez on Osorio. Too little too late — which might become Sage’s epitaph if the international break has indeed come too soon for him."
Thom Gibb writes in The Telegraph: "Major signings need to lay down a marker when arriving at Liverpool. Barcola has his hat-trick at LASK in the Champions League, but we are still waiting for a stirring big-match-defining contribution from him since his summer arrival. Arguably the same could be said for Wirtz, nearly 18 months since he joined.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates after scoring their second goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Selhurst Park on November 08, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens - AMA/Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz celebrates after doubling Liverpool's advantage at Crystal Palace(Image: Steve Bardens - AMA/Getty Images)
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"Neither left Selhurst Park looking like the world-beaters they did occasionally for their previous clubs. Still, one misfiring attacker creating a goal for another represents progress and all great partnerships must start somewhere. Lennon and McCartney would improve after 1958’s Too Bad About Sorrows.
"If there was ever a place for the least-productive expensively assembled attacking group in the league to find form it was surely south London on this Sunday lunchtime. Liverpool came in with two defeats in their previous two but, European trophy aside, it has been a lousy 2026 for Palace.
"So it was Liverpool’s blip righted here, despite all of Palace’s pressure. Alisson, who took some flak for his performance at Fenerbahce, was hard to fault.
"He may not have reached Eddie Nketiah’s stoppage-time penalty, but made a series of brave saves and deserved a clean sheet. For all that attacking talent, the long-serving goalkeeper still looks like one of Iraola’s most important players."
Where do you think Liverpool will finish this season?
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 2: Liverpool FC Head Coach Andoni Iraola concentrates after the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field on August 2, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola, pictured on the club's tour of the US(Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
And the ECHO's verdict reads: "Ten games into the Andoni Iraola experience at Liverpool and there has been a little something for everyone.
"For those whose glasses are half full, a 3-1 win here at Crystal Palace moves the Reds up to fourth, on the heels of a Manchester City side who have lost three in a row and are clearly in flux over the Premier League's guilty verdict.
"Further cause for encouragement is seeing a defensively solid Reds side in the league, who have only been beaten by champions Arsenal and runners-up City, and both in somewhat controversial circumstances.
"There is a character about Liverpool that simply wasn't there last season. Away games against Bournemouth, Brentford and Palace last time out, for example, yielded zero points. This season, Iraola has won them all."
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