Key events
As it stands. Liverpool can go back top for a couple of hours at least. Palace are skirting danger.
Liverpool also welcome back Trent Alexander-Arnold to the team. Alisson Becker returns after 10 weeks out. Mohamed Salah, Conor Bradley, Andy Robertson and Luis Diaz are back in, though three of those played half the Atalanta game. Diogo Jotaâs back, too, and on the bench.
Michael Olise played the closing minutes of Palaceâs loss to Manchester City last week, and thereâs a surprise start for Nathaniel Clyne in place of Joel Ward.
The teams – Alisson back for Liverpool, Olise for Palace
Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Jones, Endo, Mac Allister, Salah, Nunez, Diaz. Subs: Gomez, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Elliott, Jota, Gravenberch, Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Andersen, Lerma, Clyne, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell, Olise, Mateta, Eze. Subs: Ward, Tomkins, Ayew, Schlupp, Edouard, Ahamada, Matthews, Riedewald, Ozoh.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Preamble
The heat is on for Liverpool. Crystal Palace, too, even if Liverpoolâs need for a win is the obvious headline requirement here. After Old Trafford, after Atalanta, there are wobbles aplenty on Merseyside. On Thursday in the Europa League, Jurgen Klopp shuffled his team, only to make three changes at half-time. It made no difference. In fact, matters got worse. Within Liverpoolâs play, there are shards of high quality but weaknesses aplenty, too. Palace meanwhile have won just one match since Oliver Glasner came in. And again, while there are positive signs, there are also serious causes for concern. Not least that Brentford ended their own winless run, placing pressure on Palace not to slip further and get dragged down amid the Lutons.
Kick-off is 2pm UK time. Join me.
