Liverpool picked up their 6th consecutive win after beating Crystal Palace in the Premier League yesterday.
The Merseyside giants made the perfect start at Selhurst Park with Cody Gakpo providing the assist for Diogo Jota’s goal in the 9th minute. They were the better team throughout the opening half and Jota should have doubled the lead in the 34th minute.
The Portuguese had another chance to score his brace in the 62nd minute, but his header went well wide of the target. Palace tried to push for a late equaliser, but Liverpool held onto the advantage despite Alisson Becker being substituted.
Virgil van Dijk was adjudged as the man of the match on the playing field, but Gakpo was also at the top of his game. Van Dijk’s Dutch compatriot made a crucial impact against the Eagles with the match-defining assist for Jota’s opener.
Start him
According to Fotmob, the Dutch international was the best-rated player with a rating of almost 9/10 (8.9). The £45 million attacker won 8 out of 10 duels contested in south London while winning 100% of his take-ons (2/2).
He made 9 successful recoveries against the Eagles with a couple of tackles won. Gakpo’s inclusion in the starting line-up ahead of Luis Diaz on the left wing was a surprise, but he proved his worth with an outstanding display.
Liverpool will come up against Chelsea at Anfield in the Premier League after the international fixtures. Manager Arne Slot has shown that he likes to rotate his team when required, but Gakpo can’t be dropped after such a good performance.
There is a strong possibility that he could make the line-up anyway, considering Diaz won’t return to Merseyside until Friday evening. Diaz will be in World Cup qualifier action for Colombia against Bolivia on Thursday evening – UK time.
The Anfield giants have had a fantastic start with 18 points attained from a possible 21. They have the opportunity to prove their title credentials with key games against Chelsea and Arsenal coming up after the international break.
