It’s back to Anfield for the first home game of the new season and all eyes will be on Jurgen Klopp‘s side as they host Crystal Palace and aim to extend the unbeaten run to 21.
Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace
Premier League (2) | Anfield
August 15, 2022 | 8pm (BST)
Liverpool started the season with a bang, just not the one we had all hoped for in a 2-2 draw at Fulham that felt more like a defeat than it did banking the first point of 2022/23.
It’s to Anfield the Reds now go and three points are all that is on the mind.
Here are 10 key things you need to know ahead of Monday night’s game.
1. Both looking for their first win
The opening weekend of the Premier League season ended with just one point between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, with Patrick Vieira’s team falling to a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
The Eagles boss lamented the fact that his side “had chances in both halves and we didn’t take it – in the game you get punished really hard,” while Klopp took responsibility for Liverpool, who were “just not good enough.”
It leaves both on the hunt for that first win of the campaign and they each have a point to prove.
To get you feeling positive, we’ll note that Liverpool is currently on their best-ever home run against Palace having won the last five in the league in succession. Time to make it six!
2. What is new for Palace?
The Eagles finished in 12th position last season, just eight points outside of a European place in Viera’s debut campaign.
They are without Conor Gallagher, who returned to Chelsea after his loan spell, Christian Benteke has made the switch to MLS with DC United, and fellow ex-Red Martin Kelly was released.
Palace signed 22-year-old centre-back Chris Richards from Bayern Munich during the summer and also added midfielder Cheick Doucoure for £22 million, two of five signings so far.
3. What to expect?
New signing Doucoure started against Arsenal and suffered from cramp, but he is expected to be available for the trip to Anfield, with Michael Olise also to come back into contention.
Nathan Ferguson, James McArthur, James Tomkins and Jack Butland are all unavailable, while Odsonne Edouard could be displaced in the XI by the returning Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was the club’s third-highest goalscorer last season with seven.
Possible Palace XI: Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Schlupp, Doucoure, Eze; Ayew, Mateta, Zaha
4. 1 out, 2 in
The sight of Thiago clutching at his hamstring was enough to make your head drop more than once, confounded by the news he is to be out of action for at least a month and up to six weeks.
“Thiago is good, but the injury is not good,” Klopp told reporters. “The timeframe? I read four to six weeks! I would prefer four. We’ll see.”
A midfield option lost, but Klopp is to gain one back with Naby Keita recovering from his bout of illness that kept him out of contention at Fulham.
Kostas Tsimikas is also expected to be up for selection after making his first team training return on Friday.
Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones, Calvin Ramsay, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Diogo Jota are all still unavailable.
5. How could the Reds lineup?
The two big selection questions are to come in midfield and the forward line as Thiago needs replacing while Roberto Firmino and Darwin Nunez battle for a spot.
The defence looked to be settled but a groin problem for Joel Matip could see Joe Gomez reunited with Virgil van Dijk in the heart of defence.
Fabinho and Jordan Henderson are likely to be retained, they were not the only ones to underperform at Fulham, as too Luis Diaz and Mo Salah.
It leaves an opening on the left of midfield and a question mark up top and it would not be a surprise to see Nunez rewarded with a start and a fit-again Keita slot next to Liverpool’s No. 3.
Predicted XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Keita; Salah, Diaz, Nunez
6. 7 days of Bobby celebrations?
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – we’ve seen a Roberto Firmino celebration on each of those days of the week.
The only one left out? Monday.
And should the Brazilian score against Palace he will become only the 15th player in Liverpool history to score on all 7 days of the week.
Talk about a niche record to have!
7. Klopp ‘doesn’t see’ midfield signing
Plenty of talk has centred around the transfer market and a new midfielder, heightened by Thiago’s recent injury, but Klopp all but ruled out a new signing this summer:
“We have injuries, that’s how it is, now it’s a question of how long players will be out.
“There are different solutions for it.
“One of them is the transfer market, which only makes sense if you can bring in the right player, not a player.
“If you bring in the right player it would make sense. We would have done that from the first day of the transfer window, but in some cases it’s not possible and in other cases extremely difficult.
“If there was the right solution we would have done it already, we are not stubborn, it’s just about the right thing to do.
8. Did you know?
Liverpool are currently 20 league games unbeaten, which is their joint-eighth longest ever run.
At the time of the Reds’ kickoff, their last defeat will have come 230 days ago in the 1-0 loss at Leicester in December.
In that time, Klopp has overseen 16 wins and four draws in the Premier League.
Liverpool’s longest unbeaten record in the Premier League is 44, between January 2019 and February 2020.
9. Tierney with the whistle
Paul Tierney is the referee for the match, just a week on from his opening-day controversy after failing to award what looked a certain penalty for Brighton during their win over Man United.
He’s a referee Klopp has been vocal over in the past, saying after the 2-2 draw at Tottenham last season: “I have no problems with any referees…only you.”
As much as we love a passionate Klopp, please don’t let controversy follow this match!
Tierney will have Andre Marriner on VAR and Craig Pawson as the fourth official.
10. Where can I watch?
It’s Monday night football and for those in the UK, that means the match is live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 7pm (BST) ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
This Is Anfield will have you covered in our usual matchday liveblog with Dan Clubbe back in place to keep you entertained and informed throughout the first game back at Anfield, from 7.15pm.
Up the Reds!
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