Wirtz had not scored in the league this season, and his goal and assist at Selhurst Park have lifted Liverpool to fourth

Crystal Palace hit the crossbar and had a goal ruled out for offside in the first half at Selhurst Park. Liverpool still went in a goal up. By full time they had won 3-1, and they are fourth in the Premier League.

Alexis Mac Allister headed the opener five minutes before the break. Florian Wirtz scored his first league goal of the season 14 minutes after it, and set up Alexander Isak for the third in the 89th minute. Eddie Nketiah’s penalty, deep into stoppage time, was all Palace had to show for an afternoon on which they gave Liverpool plenty of trouble.

Iraola gets his reaction

Liverpool arrived on the back of two defeats in three days, 1-0 at home to Arsenal and 3-2 at Fenerbahçe on Wednesday. Andoni Iraola made five changes from the side that started in Istanbul, bringing Wirtz, Cody Gakpo and Isak back into the attack. Ryan Gravenberch missed out with his heel injury.

Liverpool started brightly, but Palace kept getting at them. Yeremy Pino rattled the bar, and just after the half hour Jørgen Strand Larsen tapped in, only to be flagged offside. Alisson then denied Pino, and the goal came from a set piece: Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick from out wide, and Mac Allister’s header past Dean Henderson. Alisson had to save twice more before the interval to keep it at 1-0.

Iraola’s wingers swapped sides at half-time, and it was Bradley Barcola who picked out Wirtz for the second. Liverpool were more in control after that. Isak missed one good chance on the counter before he finished the next one, from Wirtz’s pass, for his seventh league goal of the season. Liverpool then gave away a penalty with a late challenge in stoppage time, and Nketiah scored it.

Palace bottom going into the break

Palace had lost their previous three league games, and this fourth straight defeat has sent them to the bottom of the table on seven points from ten games. Sunderland’s 1-0 win over Chelsea on the same afternoon lifted them above Pierre Sage’s side. Manchester United are also on seven points, ahead on goal difference, with their game against Aston Villa still to come later on Sunday.

Sage was without Jean-Philippe Mateta, who is serving a three-match ban, so Larsen led the line until Nketiah replaced him with 18 minutes left. Palace have conceded 24 league goals, the most in the division.

Liverpool are on 18 points, three behind Manchester City and nine behind the leaders Arsenal. Their next game is Manchester United at Anfield after the international break. For Palace, the next two weeks will be about whether Sage is still in charge when they return.

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