Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - October 5, 2024 Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
LONDON (Reuters) -Diogo Jota's early goal was enough to give Liverpool a tight 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday and ensure the Reds go into the international break top of the Premier League, though goalkeeper Alisson was forced off injured late on.
The Londoners started the game sharply and had the ball in the net inside 30 seconds only for Eddie Nketiah's deft finish to be ruled offside.
Liverpool then took the lead with their first real attack in the ninth minute when Cody Gakpo ran on to Tsimikas' through ball down the left.
He centred for Jota, who breezed past Palace debutant Trevor Chalobah to poke home from close range and record his fourth goal of the season in all competitions.
Liverpool stay top with 18 points from seven games and open up a four-point lead on Manchester City and Arsenal, who play later on Saturday.
"I think it's always hard to come here. The results over the years have all been very tight and close," said Liverpool's man of the match Virgil van Dijk.
"We could have played a bit better in the second half. Overall, it's a big three points and we go into the international break on a high," added the defender.
Jota should have doubled his tally in the 34th minute after good work by Mohamed Salah and the impressive Ryan Gravenberch, whose ball from the right found Jota unmarked but he scuffed his effort well wide.
Liverpool enjoyed almost 75% possession in the first half but without creating many clear-cut chances and Palace almost made them pay on the stroke of half-time.
Maxence Lacroix's quick pass played Ismaila Sarr in behind, but his low effort was well saved by Alisson.
PENALTY APPEAL
The second half began quietly before the visitors began to move through the gears and Salah drew a smart block from Palace keeper Dean Henderson after cushioning down a wonderful pass from van Dijk.
Jota missed another good chance just after the hour when Trent Alexander-Arnold found him in space from a free kick, but the Portugal forward mistimed his header.
Liverpool's failure to kill the game almost cost them as Eddie Nketiah and Eberechi Eze drew good saves from Alisson, shortly before Marc Guehi's calls for a penalty after van Dijk pulled him back were waved away.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner told reporters it was a "clear penalty" as van Dijk held Guehi with both hands.
Liverpool coach Arne Slot, however, said the decision was the right one, telling TNT Sports: "The ball is going to the goalkeeper, he (Guehi) would never have got there."
Alisson went off injured after he was forced into a hasty clearance, bringing Vitezslav Jaros on for his Liverpool debut with the Palace fans sensing a shift in momentum.
But Eze squandered a chance on the break when he shot straight at Jaros who also stopped substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta in his tracks in added time.
Palace remain winless with three points from seven league games, but Glasner told reporters their performance, in particular after the break, was encouraging.
"It's disappointing, it's frustrating, but this performance in the second half was the best performance this season," he said.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
