Premier League: Eagles and Reds Clash at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace vs Liverpool

It’s a battle between a club in the higher echelons of the Premier League versus a side that are still winless and moping away at the relegation zone as Liverpool take on Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The London outfit, although at the obvious disadvantage, are hoping to take the fight against England’s best and come out of the match in a better league position than where they are at the moment.

With three draws and three losses in six matches, Oliver Glasner needs to muster every bit of tactical ability he has if he wishes to end their slump.

The Austrian manager took over Roy Hodgson last February and led the club with some huge Premier League 2024 results before the season ended. But this year’s different, and with the departure of star man Michael Olise, things have taken a turn for the worst.

The Reds, meanwhile, are flying high. Since a massive upset against Nottingham Forest, they’ve won four in a row in all competitions and now lead the league over Manchester City and Arsenal.

Can Liverpool continue their hot streak? Or will Crystal Palace shock SBOTOP football fans over the weekend? 

Let’s find out, shall we?

 

Talking Points

A second consecutive Merseyside visit for Palace

The Eagles, for the second matchweek in a row, will find themselves visiting Liverpool. Albeit this time, it won’t be against the Blues, but the Reds.

Had they won against a struggling Everton side last week, then perhaps going into this one would feel better. Instead, they face a daunting opposition who look set on giving them a proper beating.

It would do Crystal Palace the world of good if they could arrive at Anfield with clear minds—never mind the dreadful loss against Everton last time out.

A winnable affair against a fellow relegation contender this early into the season, Crystal Palace played well in the first half, getting into the lead early via Marc Guehi, who scored from close range.

But the Toffees were having none of it.

An inspired performance from Sean Dyche’s crew resulted in a Dwight McNeil brace, and Oliver Glasner left Goodison Park feeling hardly done by.

“We lost the game in 15 minutes,” Glasner said after the match. And if Liverpool are in their best form come Saturday, they might lose the match in less.

 

The Reds can win any way they can

A strong and legitimate title contender can win matches even when they’re not at their best.

That trait is a must, and Arne Slot’s side just showed it in their win over Wolves. Many were expecting that the match at Molineux was going to be a cakewalk. After all, Wolves sat dead last in the league, whilst Liverpool are one of the favourites to win the title.

But the match unfolded differently, with the home team playing to the best of their abilities and having a game plan to frustrate their opponents.

Still, the Reds scored first through Ibrahima Konate. 11 minutes later, however, Wolves were rewarded for their resilience when Rayan Ait-Nouri levelled things in the 56^th minute.

Sadly, their joy was short-lived as a penalty was conceded not even five minutes after Ait-Nouri’s goal. Diogo Jota was fouled and Mohamed Salah made no mistake in slotting it through.

Before their meeting with Crystal Palace, Liverpool will host Bologna in a Champions League match.

 

History

The Reds have a dominant record over the Eagles (36W-13D-15L), winning 12 of their last 15 matches in all competitions. The only times Liverpool dropped points against Crystal Palace were in a couple of draws in January and August of 2022 and in April of last season.

It was also the first time Palace were victorious over Liverpool since April of 2017.

Both dubs were held at Anfield.

 

Betting Tip

Crystal Palace are massive underdogs going into this one (5.40), with Liverpool backed by Premier League 2024 odds (1.46) to take the easy win.

A stalemate, meanwhile, is at 4.28.

Those who will bet in favour of Palace may have just found themselves a glimmer of hope, with Liverpool’s Champions League tie against Bologna coming so soon, giving the Reds only a single day to rest and prepare for Saturday’s showdown.

And with Liverpool having chances of being exhausted, going for Palace at +1.00 (2.06, Asian Handicap) looks to be a profitable bet, along with a Crystal Palace or draw double chance (2.49).

Still, the bookies favour Liverpool, and it will take a monumental effort from the Eagles to end their run.

   

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