Premier League: Liverpool extend top spot with 1-0 win over Crystal Palace

Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points following a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, thanks to Diogo Jota’s decisive goal.

Under new manager Arne Slot, who has now won nine of his first ten games since replacing Jurgen Klopp, the Reds showcased their strong form.

However, Slot expressed frustration as his team invited pressure from the winless Eagles late in the match.

Despite the victory, it came at a cost as goalkeeper Alisson Becker limped off during the closing stages, raising concerns ahead of a tougher run of fixtures following the international break.

“We should have finished it off with such a dominant performance,” said Slot.

“If you score the second you break them mentally and now all the fans kept believing in a result because it was only 1-0, even though in my opinion we were the dominant team.”

Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace keeps them firmly at the top of the Premier League, extending their lead to four points.

Diogo Jota’s winning goal marked another success under Arne Slot, who has now won nine of his first ten games, making him the first Liverpool manager to win eight of his first nine matches after their recent 2-0 Champions League victory over Bologna.

However, the win leaves Crystal Palace in the bottom three with just three points from seven games.

Slot remains cautious about Liverpool’s upcoming challenges, as the Reds face formidable Premier League opponents in Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City over the next six fixtures.

“It’s very good we have won these games and now it is up to us to show ourselves in the big games,” added Slot. “Unfortunately Ali will not be with us, I assume, if I saw the way he walked off the pitch correctly.”

Slot saw both sides of his team at Selhurst Park as they failed to make the most of their first-half dominance, but held out at the back for a fifth clean sheet in seven league games.

Palace did have the ball in the net inside 30 seconds but Eddie Nketiah had strayed offside before flicking in Ismaila Sarr’s cross.

– Alisson limps off –

Liverpool quickly took control and the lead after just nine minutes when Jota stole in ahead of Marc Guehi and Trevoh Chalobah to prod in Cody Gakpo’s low cross.

Jota was guilty of passing up the visitors’ best chance to add to their lead before the break when he sliced wide from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s teasing.

Palace finally flickered into life in first-half stoppage time when Sarr was denied by a fine save from Alisson after finding a gap in the Liverpool defence.

The pattern continued into the second period with Liverpool unable to put Palace to bed.

Mohamed Salah should have done better when he fired straight at Dean Henderson before Jota headed wide a glorious chance from Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick.

Slot’s men were nearly made to pay after Jean-Philippe Mateta’s introduction perked up the Palace attack.

Alisson got down low to his left to parry Nketiah’s effort before the Brazilian beat away Eberechi Eze’s powerful strike.

But Liverpool were dealt a body blow with 12 minutes remaining when Alisson pulled up with a muscle injury.

Normal back up Caoimhin Kelleher was also absent due to illness so Czech international Vitezslav Jaros was forced into his Liverpool debut.

Jaros had to make one huge save from Eze and also rushed impressively off his line to deny Mateta a sight of goal.

Arsenal and Manchester City could cut the gap at the top back to one point later on Saturday.

But Liverpool will go into the upcoming international break at the summit and happy with the start to life under Slot.