Just five points from winning the league, welcoming Crystal Palace to Anfield was the perfect opportunity for Liverpool to show how far they have come in the last decade. This was the opposition they had thrown away a three goal lead against in 2014, as they looked to run up the score chasing Manchester City’s superior goal difference, managed by Roy Hodgson – the worst manager in Liverpool’s modern history.
Fresh from a victory over Bournemouth, Hodgson set up his team in a 4-3-3 formation, as did Jurgen Klopp. It was a return to a stronger line-up than was seen against Everton, with Mohamed Salah, Georginio Wijnaldum, Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez all returning to the starting eleven.
The game immediately settled into the attack versus defence set-up we have come to expect from Liverpool games this season. Crystal Palace dropped back in a deep 4-5-1 shape, letting Liverpool’s centre-backs come up into their half without any resistance.
There was little hope for Palace on the counter-attack either. Liverpool started at an incredible intensity, giving Palace absolutely no time on the ball, while Wilfried Zaha was taken off injured early on, removing the majority of their attacking threat. “They were so aggressive, so good in winning the ball back,” said Hodgson after the game. “We had no opportunities to put our foot on the ball and ask them some questions.”
To break down the visitors, Liverpool were moving the ball around at an excellent pace. They varied their positioning well on each flank too: Trent Alexander-Arnold or Andy Robertson might underlap through the centre while Wijnaldum or Jordan Henderson stayed wide, or they might hug the touchline while the midfielders made runs through the middle, constantly changing which players each Palace defender was having to pick up.
They also switched up the depth well too. When playing down one side, the forwards would drop back towards the ball, while Sadio Mane or Salah, whoever was on the flank opposite to the ball, would make diagonal runs in behind. The players dropping back deeper would encourage the centre-backs to push up, opening space for a ball in behind to the winger making a run.
It may not have come from a slick passing move, but it didn’t take long for Liverpool to open the scoring: Alexander-Arnold firing home a free-kick.
Liverpool continued to exert pressure on Palace and they had doubled their lead before half-time, utilising the same method they had early success with. Fabinho picked up the ball under little pressure and, with most of the frontline coming short, dropped the ball in behind the Palace backline for Salah to finish.
With a comfortable lead, Liverpool dropped down a gear, albeit keeping in full control of the match. Fabinho rifled home a screamer from outside the box to make it three, then Mane punished one of the few times Palace came out to attack Liverpool by finishing a counter-attack.
The lack of supporters was appropriate for the match because it played out like little more than a training exercise for Liverpool. “I don’t think the game could have been better because my boys played like everybody was in the stadium,” said Klopp. “The atmosphere on the pitch was incredible. That was the best counter-pressing game I have ever seen.”
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