Liverpool 'ruthless' at Crystal Palace to cement top spot in Premier League

Champions storm to a 7-0 win at Selhurst Park with Firmino and Salah both scoring twice

epa08893469 Roberto Firmino (R) of Liverpool celebrates with Sadio Mane (L) after scoring a goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool FC in London, Britain, 19 December 2020. EPA/Clive Rose / POOL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.Show less

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson described his team's display against Crystal Palace as "ruthless" after the Premier League champions ended their poor away form in emphatic fashion with a 7-0 win at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The Reds' first ever away win in the top-flight by seven goals laid down a marker for the challengers hoping to dethrone Jurgen Klopp's men.

Liverpool built on the momentum of a last-minute winner that beat Tottenham in midweek as Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah scored twice, while Takumi Minamino, Sadio Mane and Henderson also netted.

Victory ensured Liverpool will lead the league at Christmas for a third successive season and, on this evidence, will take some catching for the remainder of the season.

"I thought we were ruthless today and took our chances which is always important," Henderson said. "We dominated the game for large periods but I still thought we were sloppy at times.

"Overall, we're delighted with the performance. To finish this week off with the win after midweek is important and we managed to do that.

"It was coming I felt as over the last few games we have had chances and not taken them which has cost us at times."

Due to the late start to the campaign, there are still nearly two-thirds of the season to go, but Liverpool have so far survived an injury crisis and should only get stronger with more players returning and the chance to cover for Virgil Van Dijk's long-term absence by buying a centre-back in January.

Klopp has repeatedly bemoaned having to play Saturday lunchtime kick-offs after Wednesday night games, but his side suffered no effects from their exertions against Spurs.

"The boys are capable of that. It will not happen every week but it can happen," Klopp said. "It just clicked today. After a really intense period for the boys they should be really proud of how they came through that results wise."

Salah had even been given a rare rest from the start, but his Japanese replacement Minamino took just three minutes to open the scoring when he was teed up by Mane for his first Premier League goal.

Palace had chances to get back into the game as Jordan Ayew wasted a glorious chance as he pounced on an uncharacteristic error from Fabinho, but tried to tee up Wilfried Zaha rather than going for goal himself and played the ball behind the Ivorian.

_____________

Crystal Palace v Liverpool player ratings

CRYSTAL PALACE PLAYER RATINGS: Vicente Guaita - 5. The goalkeeper might have done better with the fifth goal but had little chance of keeping the score down. No one will be pointing fingers at the Spaniard. EPA

Nathaniel Clyne - 4. Went to ground too quickly on the opening goal and should have read the danger for the second. Delivered one good cross going forward but was unable to hurt his former club. Getty Images

Cheikhou Kouyate - 4. The Senegal midfielder looks uncomfortable in defence and his lack of mobility was exposed by the opposition’s front three. Withdrawn after 63 minutes when Tomkins bolstered the back line. EPA

Gary Cahill - 5. A painful 35th birthday for the veteran centre back. He could not cope with the pace and movement of Liverpool’s attack. AP

Patrick van Aanholt - 4. The Dutchman struggled badly against Mane and was sloppy with his passing. The left back was dangerous on the overlap but his delivery was poor. PA

Jeffrey Schlupp - 5. The winger troubled the defence with his movement and appetite early on but faded as the match got away from his team. AP

Luka Milivojevic - 5. The Serb caused Liverpool problems with his passing from deep in the opening period. His delivery from set pieces was good but he was overrun in midfield. Getty Images

James McArthur - 5. Typically robust effort from the Scot, who scrapped for loose balls in midfield but did not create enough during the period that Palace had territorial advantage. Withdrawn for Riedewald for the final quarter of an hour. Getty Images

Eberechi Eze - 4. The 22-year-old saw quite a bit of the ball in the first half when the home side threatened to overwhelm Alexander-Arnold but he failed to make the most of it. Substituted with 21 minutes left. AP

Wilfried Zaha - 4. The striker has given Alexander-Arnold nightmares in the past but he was never able to impress. When the Ivorian does well, so do Palace. This was not his day. PA

Jordan Ayew - 3. Had the opportunity to play Zaha in for an equaliser during the first half but the pull back was horribly off beam. Sent a free header directly at Alisson. Reuters

SUBS: James Tomkins - 5. Replaced Kouyate in the 63rd minute. The defence looked a little more solid for the Englishman’s presence (no match photo available). PA

Michy Batshuayi - 5. Joined the game for Eze with 21 minutes remaining. Chased hard in a lost cause and clipped in a good cross for Zaha (no match photo available). Reuters

Jairo Riedewald – 4. On for McArthur with 15 minutes left. The Dutchman failed to influence the action (no match photo available). PA

LIVERPOOL PLATER RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 7. The Brazilian brings calmness and authority to the team. Always quick off his line to sweep up if an opponent gets beyond the back four. AP

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7. The 22-year-old has had difficult days at Selhurst but this was not one of them. Palace had little joy down his wing and his rolled ball to set up Henderson’s goal was perfectly weighted. Reuters

Joel Matip - 7. The Cameroonian kept things simple and remained calm during the periods when Palace threatened. Ensured Zaha got little room in the area. Getty Images

Fabinho - 7. Snuffed out danger whenever it appeared. The Brazilian set the tone in a successful early encounter with Zaha. Muscled off the ball by Ayew in a rare lapse. AFP

Andrew Robertson - 8. The Scot exploited the space behind Clyne and produced a high standard of crosses. Sent in a magnificent pass for the third goal. Reuters

Jordan Henderson - 8. The captain never stopped talking or moving. Popped up on the edge of the box to rifle home the fourth goal. EPA

Naby Keita - 7. The Guinean grew in influence as the game went on. He was always looking to drive forward with the ball. Distribution was good. PA

Georginio Wijnaldum - 7. Not the most eyecatching performance from the Dutchman but he filled in the gaps and dropped back to support the defence. Replaced by Jones in the 69th minute. AP

Takumi Minamino - 7. The early goal gave the Japanese confidence. Playing in the front three suits him much more than a deeper role. EPA

Roberto Firmino - 9. The Brazilian’s qualities were summed up by the third goal. He started the move in his own half and finished brilliantly with a delicate first touch that set up a simple strike. A splendid effort with two deserved goals. EPA

Sadio Mane - 9. The Senegalese scored the second crucial goal at a point when Liverpool were second best. He loves playing against Palace – this was his 10th goal against them. Not happy to be taken off in the 57th minute for Salah. EPA

Mohamed Salah - 9. Replaced Mane with 33 minutes to go. The Egyptian showed his class with a crossfield ball to Firmino for the fifth goal. He got his name on the scoresheet with a fine reaction header before wrapping up the scoring with a cracking shot. EPA

Curtis Jones - 6. Joined the game when Wijnaldum was given a rest with 21 minutes to go. Enjoyed every second of his cameo and demanded the ball (no match photo available). EPA

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 6. The 27-year-old was delighted to come on for Firmino in the last 15 minutes to make his first appearance of the season. Eased his way back into the action. Reuters

_____________

At the other end, the visitors were ruthless as Mane ended his longest goal drought as a Liverpool player at nine games with an excellent turn and low finish from Firmino's pass.

A clinical counter-attack made it three before the break as this time Firmino latched onto Andy Robertson's cross before calmly flicking the ball beyond Vicente Guaita. Henderson then curled home the fourth from the edge of the box.

Klopp took the chance to give Mane a rest, but the Senegalese voiced his frustration at being removed to be replaced by Salah.

"[Mane] wasn’t angry because Mo came on, maybe because he didn’t stay on till after the free kick. You cannot do everything, they are human beings, but after the game he reacted fine, it was all good," Klopp said.

Salah played his part for the fifth with the pass into Firmino, who has now scored as many goals in his last two games than his previous 27 Premier League appearances.

The Egyptian forward then moved to the top of the Premier League scoring charts with 13 goals in as many games with a late double by heading home from a corner before bending an incredible effort into the top corner.

It was the first time Crystal Palace have conceded seven goals in a home match in the club's history.

"We're humiliated by the result, there's no question about it," Palace manager Roy Hodgson said. "For most of us in the dressing room, we've not been on the end of a 7-0 defeat before so this is a new experience, and quite frankly I can't think of anything positive to say.

"We just have to come over it ... there's no point in dwelling on it any longer than we have to. We have to learn some lessons from it and I'm sure we will."