For 30 years, Liverpool have waited for that elusive crown of ‘Champions of England’.
It’s certainly on the horizon for Liverpool in 2020, having been made to wait the best part of three months to seal their fate.
The Merseysiders need just five points from their remaining eight games to win their first Premier League title and although Jurgen Klopp’s side were not their usual selves in the stalemate against Everton last time out they still remain a gargantuan 23 points clear at the top.
The game against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night presents a good opportunity for Liverpool to pick up their first victory since the restart and maintain their unbeaten home run in the Premier League. Incidentally, the last game they lost at Anfield was against Palace, all the way back in April 2017 when Christian Benteke came back to haunt his former club with a brace.
Roy Hodgson’s side have been on a scintillating run of form of late. They’ve won four Premier League games in a row for the first time since 2018 and have kept clean sheets in all of those games. A 2-0 victory against Bournemouth in Palace’s first game back was a significant result in spearheading their bid for a European place this season.
In terms of a head to head record in recent games, Liverpool unsurprisingly some might say, have won five of the previous six league meetings.
Previous meetings:
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool (23.11.19)
Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace (19.01.19)
Crystal Palace 0-2 Liverpool (20.08.18)
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool (31.03.18)
Liverpool 1-0 Crystal Palace (19.08.17)
Liverpool 1-2 Crystal Palace (23.04.17)
Team news:
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson should return for Liverpool after missing the Merseyside derby last Sunday.
However, Joel Matip and James Milner both look set to miss out on Wednesday after suffering ankle and thigh injuries respectively at Goodison Park.
Xherdan Shaqiri and Nathaniel Clyne remain the club’s long-term absentees and will not feature.
Palace’s James Tomkins remains out injured as well as Martin Kelly and Jeffrey Schlupp also missing for the Eagles’ trip to the north-west.
Score prediction:
This is a game that could begin quite cagey, I’ve been impressed with Palace (not just in their game against Bournemouth) but in their last few games before lockdown. Jordan Ayew is starting to hit goalscoring form, scoring in three straight league games now. It’s for this reason that I can see Palace nicking a goal.
Despite that I just think playing at Anfield, with or without fans, is an extremely difficult prospect for any visiting team and with Liverpool’s front three and starting full-backs all set to start, Liverpool will go one win closer to the inevitable on Wednesday evening.
Match Preview written by Jack Mirkovic.