Crystal Palace v Liverpool player ratings: Van Dijk 8, Gakpo 7; Mateta 7, Nketiah 5

Diogo Jota gives Arne Slot's side victory to keep them top of Premier League pile

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  Dean Henderson 7/10

  CRYSTAL PALACE RATINGS: Could do nothing about Jota's goal. A couple of sharps save from Alexander-Arnold and another good block against Salah. AP

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  Trevoh Chalobah 5/10

  On his debut after his loan move from Chelsea. Jota beat him to a ball that should have been his for the goal. Grew into the game a little in the second period and had a decent half-volleyed effort from outside the box. AFPShow less

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  Marc Guehi 7/10

  A born leader. Tried valiantly to organise a new-look backline that struggled against Liverpool’s fluidity. Made several key interventions to keep his side in the hunt. Reuters

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  Maxence Lacroix 5/10

  Under siege for most of the game and struggled to deal with Liverpool's movement. Great ball to set up a Sarr chance in the first half. AFP

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  Daniel Munoz 4/10

  Good cross for Nketiah’s early disallowed goal. Caught flat-footed on the build-up to Liverpool’s goal. Off injured after 16 minutes. Reuters

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  Adam Wharton 5/10

  Slipped a lovely pass down the inside-right channel in the build-up to Nketiah’s early offside effort. Often looks so classy on the ball and stylish with his passing but miscued a few as Palace got a bad case of the jitters. Carrying a knock and was replaced by Will Hughes on the hour. AFPShow less

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  Jefferson Lerma 4/10

  Had to put in a hard-working defensive shift. In danger of being overrun by Liverpool in midfield. Yellow card for a foul on Tsimikas. Action Images

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  Tyrick Mitchell 5/10

  Timely headed clearance from a Gakpo cross. Some sharp defensive interventions. Wasted a chance with a weak cross in a rare Palace attacks either side of half time. Made way for Mateta as Glasner looked to inject some threat. AFPShow less

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  Ismaila Sarr 5/10

  The Senegalese had to feed off crumbs on his first Premier League start for Palace. Fluffed his lines with a poor touch late in the first half. Denied by Allison just before interval. AFP

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  Eddie Nketiah 5/10

  Thought he’d scored after 20 seconds after being given his chance to play as a central striker but had strayed just offside. Big chance saved by Allison on 63 minutes. Got little change out of Liverpool's solid defence. PAShow less

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  Eberechi Eze 6/10

  Good whipped early cross into the box in an otherwise quiet first-half. Good shot saved by Allison then cute flick with the back of his boot forced a save from the keeper. Should have done better when one-on-one with substitute keeper Jaros. Getty ImagesShow less

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  Nathaniel Clyne 5/10

  SUBS: (On for Munoz, 16'): Needlessly surrendered a corner shortly after coming on. Grafted hard but had his hands full against Gakpo and Co. Getty Images

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  Will Hughes 7/10

  (On for Wharton, 60’): Upped the intensity. Hustled and bustled effectively. Put himself about and picked up a yellow card. Ruffled Liverpool’s feathers a little. Went close with a clever volley from a corner. Getty ImagesShow less

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  Jean-Philippe Mateta 7/10

  Jean-Philippe Mateta (on for Mitchell, 60'): Made a real impact with his powerful, direct running. Played a great lay-off for an Eze shot. His energy hauled his side back into the fight. Great break to tee-up Eze; Daichi Kamada (on for Chalobah, 88'): N/A. PAShow less

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  Alisson Becker 7/10

  LIVERPOOL RATINGS: A spectator until he was called to make a brilliant low save from Sarr just before the break. Good save from Nketiah in second half and another to deny Eze. Worryingly for Liverpool, went off with an injury late in the game. ReutersShow less

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  Trent Alexander-Arnold 6/10

  A couple of over-ambitious early crosses. Stinging shot on the half-hour. More evident in attack than defence as Liverpool largely dominated. Reuters

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  Ibrahima Konate 7/10

  Looks so assured in tandem with Van Dijk. Their rock-solid partnership has conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League so far this season. PA

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  Virgil van Dijk 8/10

  Untroubled. Commanding. Cool as a cucumber. Went close with a headed effort from a corner. Good ball to create a Salah chance. Makes the game look easy. Perhaps fortunate not to give away a penalty for a grab on Guehi. Getty ImagesShow less

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  Kostas Tsimikas 7/10

  Started ahead of Andrew Robertson and showed real threat going forward. A great pass in the build-up to Jota’s opener. His partnership with Gakpo looks so polished it's as though they play together every week. Defended well too. AFPShow less

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  Curtis Jones 6/10

  In for Dominik Szoboszlai and slotted seamlessly into the well-oiled machine of Liverpool's midfield. Often involved in their intricate passages of inter-passing. Getty Images

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  Alexis Mac Allister 6/10

  A characteristically unfussy contribution. Helped his side to control the midfield. AP

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  Mohamed Salah 6/10

  Always looked a threat wide on the right but didn’t get much of a sniff at goal. Replaced by Diaz. Reuters

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  Ryan Gravenberch 7/10

  Given a free-roving brief. Dictates play so well. Great centre to Jota who somehow contrived not to score. Getty Images

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  Cody Gakpo 7/10

  Turned in a classy performance on a well-deserved start. Perfect centre into the six-yard box for Jota’s opener. Linked up well with Tsimikas. Made probing runs and played clever passes. PA

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  Diogo Jota 6/10

  Perfectly timed run and sharp finish for the opener. Missed a sitter on 33 minutes. Miscued another easy chance from an Alexander-Arnold free-kick. His wastefulness could have seen Liverpool punished. APShow less

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  Dominik Szoboszlai 6/10

  SUBS: (On for Mac Allister, 43’): Decent shot forced a save from Henderson. So composed on the ball. AFP

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  Luis Diaz 6/10

  (On for Salah, 73’): Harried and hustled as he looked for an opening. AFP

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  Vitezslav Jaros 7/10

  (On for Alisson, 79): Good save from Eze. Sharp in closing down a dangerous Mateta run into box. Did nothing wrong as he got an unexpected outing. PA

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  Andrew Robertson N/A

  (On for Tsimikas, 79’). PA

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  Wataru Endo N/A

  (On for Jones, 89’). Getty Images

An early Diogo Jota strike ensured that Liverpool go into the international break top of the Premier League after they beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The Portuguese forward's ninth-minute goal was enough to ensure Arne Slot's side kept their noses in front of defending champions Manchester City, who beat Fulham 3-2 at home. Liverpool are on 18 points, with City on 17.

But the victory came at a price as the Reds' first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker hobbled off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury late in the game.

That meant an unexpected outing for Liverpool's No 3 keeper Vitezslav Jaros as his usual back-up Caomhin Kelleher had not travelled to London.

The Czech stopper made a number of good saves but the injury to Alisson will be a real concern for Slot as Liverpool have a tough run of games coming up after the international break.

They face Chelsea at Anfield in the Premier League before a Champions League away day at RB Leipzig and then a return to London to face Arsenal.

The Gunners also have 17 points after they overcame Southampton 3-1 at the Emirates thanks to goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in response to Cameron Archer's shock opener for the visitors.

After the win, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told TNT Sports: "It is hard to come here. The results over the years are tight and close.

"I think obviously we scored a fantastic goal. We could have done better in the second half, but we knew they'd come out with a bit of pressure on the ball. It ends our run on a high before the internationals."

Manager Slot said: "Really satisfied with how we started the season. It is a good start not only the results, but I liked our performance today.

"There was a period of the game we conceded free-kicks and that was a difficult period. For the last 10 minutes we kept the ball very well."

On the fixture list after the international break, he said: "The fixtures are difficult, but I have felt how difficult Wolves and Palace are away. It is good that we have won these games and it is up to us to show ourselves in the big games.

"Unfortunately, Alisson will not be with us in these matches with how he walked off the pitch.”

Palace boss Glasner told Palace TV: “I think we deserved more at the end. In the first half we could see how good Liverpool are, how quickly they moved the ball.

“But the second-half gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. We created chances and also we were good in defending. I think we must get a clear penalty for us. Marc [Guehi] is held with two hands, but we have to accept it."