Soccer

Diogo Jota strike enough for Liverpool to see off Crystal Palace

The Portugal international’s goal earned Arne Slot’s men a league third win on the spin.

Diogo Jota scores the winning goal for Liverpool
Diogo Jota scores the winning goal for Liverpool (Adam Davy/PA)
By Reuben Rosso-Powell, PA

Diogo Jota’s goal kept Liverpool at the top of the Premier League for another week as they beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park.

The Portugal international punished some poor defending to earn Arne Slot’s men a third league win on the spin.

Liverpool showed their title pedigree in south London and head into the international break in high spirits ahead of a home clash against Chelsea later this month.

Palace were out of the blocks quickly and had the ball in the net inside a minute, only for Eddie Nketiah’s effort to be disallowed.

Jefferson Lerma outmuscled his man to release Ismaila Sarr down the right, but his ball to Nketiah saw the striker start his run too soon and his first-time lifted finish over Alisson was chalked off.

Liverpool sparked into action and a well-worked move saw Jota punish Palace’s leaky defence.

Kostas Tsimikas slipped Cody Gakpo down the left and he fizzed a pass into the box where loanee Trevoh Chalobah was caught napping, with Jota nipping in front to tap home.

The goal was typical of Palace’s season, with individual errors at the back undoing their quality going forward, and this theme continued as Liverpool’s press forced loose passes from the likes of the usually composed Adam Wharton.

The Reds began to take control after the break.

Arne Slot celebrates with his players at the end of the game
Arne Slot celebrates with his players at the end of the game (Adam Davy/PA)

Boss Oliver Glasner needed to make a change and turned to the bench in a bid to find an equaliser. Targetman Jean-Philippe Mateta came on and his introduction saw Palace enjoy their best spell of the match.

The French forward picked up deeper positions and he combined with Nketiah and Eberechi Eze before his shot forced Alisson into action.

Palace threw numbers forward in the final 10 minutes after Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson went off injured.

A whipped cross from Nathaniel Clyne tested replacement stopper Vitezslav Jaros and his punched clearance fell to Will Hughes, but the midfielder’s shot flew over the crossbar.

Moments later, Palace squandered their best chance of the match.

Terrific instincts from Hughes saw him intercept the ball in midfield and Palace countered. Mateta got in behind and slipped in Eze one-on-one with Jaros but he hit his effort straight at the keeper.