Crystal Palace 0-7 Liverpool: Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah doubles as champions run riot
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Updated 19/12/2020 at 14:57 GMT
Premier League, Selhurst Park – Crystal Palace 0 Liverpool 7 (Minamino 3’, Mane 35’, Firmino 44’ 68’, Henderson 52’, Salah 81’ 84’)
Liverpool celebrate against Crystal Palace
Image credit: Getty Images
Liverpool won by a seven-goal margin away from home for the first time in their 106-year top-flight history as they humiliated Crystal Palace 7-0 at Selhurst Park.
With Mohamed Salah on the bench from the start, not in the Liverpool XI for the first time this season in the Premier League, Takumi Minamino wasted no time in firing Liverpool into a third-minute lead with his first-ever Premier League goal.
Palace pressed for a leveller but, somewhat against the run of play, Sadio Mane fired a brilliant second into the net in the 35th minute, before Roberto Firmino made it three just before half time after a fine counter attack from the champions.
There was no letting up after the break from Liverpool, as Jordan Henderson made it four seven minutes into the second half, Firmino scored a fifth with a sumptuous finish and Salah helped himself to a late double off the bench as Liverpool opened up a six-point lead at the top of the table in frightening style, with rivals still to play this weekend.
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Roberto Firmino scored twice in rout
Image credit: Getty Images
Minamino has not enjoyed the best start to life at Liverpool, but his early strike, expertly finished after being picked out by Mane, saw him become just the seventh Japanese player to score in the Premier League.
Palace responded well, but their final pass let them down time and again, and all it took was a Firmino pass into Mane, who took two touches, one to get the ball out of his feet before rifling a strike into the net, to punish the hosts. Mane is the top scoring player against Palace in Premier League history with 10 goals.
Firmino then got in on the act as he collected Andrew Robertson’s brilliant cross before firing home to put Liverpool in control by the break. Palace came out early for the second half, but they will have wished they'd not have bothered.
Henderson curled a superb fourth into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area, before Firmino lofted a lovely fifth after yet another lightning counter attack. Palace were on the ropes, and Liverpool finished them off with two more from Salah, who replaced a very unhappy Mane, one with his head and arguably the pick of the bunch late on to cap an incredible afternoon for Jurgen Klopp's side.
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Crystal Palace 0-7 Liverpool
Image credit: Getty Images
TALKING POINT - Champions send most emphatic of messages
That was as well as Liverpool have played for some time, in any competition. They actually only had eight shots at goal, but the finishing was of a level rarely seen on these shores. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmono have both struggled to hit the heights of last season this campaign, but both now look in fine fettle, with no letting up from Salah.
With West Brom and Newcastle up next for Liverpool, the champions could open up a wider gap at the top. Top on Christmas Day for the third season in a row, the champions will take some dethroning this season.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
There were many who questioned whether the Brazilian was even worthy of a place in this Liverpool team just a few weeks ago, but after three goals and an assist in the space of three days, Firmino has answered his critics.
PLAYER RATINGS
Crystal Palace: Guaita 5, Clyne 5, Kouyate 4, Cahill 4, Van Aanholt 3, Schlupp 3, Milivojevic 4, McArthur 5, Eze 4, Ayew 3, Zaha 5... Subs: Tomkins 5, Batshuayi 5, Riedewald 5.
Liverpool: Alisson 7, Alexander-Arnold 8, Matip 7, Fabinho 8, Robertson 8, Keita 7, Henderson 9, Wijnaldum 7, Minamino 7, Firmino 9, Mane 8... Subs: Salah 9, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Jones 7.
KEY MOMENTS
3’ - GOAL!!! Palace 0-1 Liverpool (Minamino). Easy as you like for Liverpool as Takumi Minamino fires home his first-ever Premier League goal. Liverpool continue their record as the only Premier League team to score in every game this season, as Sadio Mane plays it across for Minamino, who takes a touch, throws the dummy, before firing home. Such a simple goal. The perfect start.
35’ - GOAL!!! Palace 0-2 Liverpool (Mane). Somewhat against the run of play, Mane fires a brilliant second into the bottom corner. After nine games without a goal, Mane takes a touch after Firmino's pass into him before arrowing a powerful strike into the net. Palace have dominated much of this half, but in two moves, Liverpool have showed their quality.
44’ - GOAL!! Palace 0-3 Liverpool (Firmino). Brilliant from Liverpool, back to front, with Firmino making it three. A truly wonderful goal from Liverpool. They counter at pace, Andrew Robertson carries the ball down the left, clips a cross into Firmino, who takes a nonchalant first touch before sliding the ball home.
52’ - GOAL!!!! Palace 0-4 Liverpool (Henderson). This is getting embarrassing now as Henderson makes it four. A rare goal for Henderson, but a fine finish nonetheless, as he curls a strike into the top corner, after being set up by Alexander-Arnold.
68’ - GOAL!!! Palace 0-5 Liverpool (Firmino). My word, another fabulous goal as Firmino makes it five. Outstanding football. Another swift counter, Salah feeds it across for Firmino, who looks like he has taken it too wide, but lofts a delightfully dinked finish over Guaita.
81’ - GOAL!!!! Palace 0-6 Liverpool (Salah). Oh dear, 12 Premier League goals for the season for Salah as he makes it six. The champions are enjoying themselves here. Matip's header from a corner is saved, but Salah reacts quickest to head home the loose ball.
84’ - GOAL!! Palace 0-7 Liverpool (Salah). Pick of the bunch? Salah makes it seven! Salah carries the ball to the edge of the Palace box, before curling a sublime effort into the top corner.
KEY STATS
- Liverpool registered an away top-flight win by a margin of seven goals for the first time in their history, while it was their first seven-goal league victory since a 9-0 win over Crystal Palace in September 1989.
- Crystal Palace conceded seven goals in a home match for the first time in their entire history.
- This was Jürgen Klopp’s 127th victory as Liverpool boss in the Premier League, overtaking Rafael Benitez (126) as the Reds boss with the most wins in Premier League history.
- Liverpool’s Sadio Mané became only the fourth player in Premier League history to score in seven consecutive appearances against an opponent, after Robin van Persie (8 vs Stoke), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (7 vs West Ham) and Romelu Lukaku (7 vs West Ham).
- Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson lost his seventh Premier League game against Liverpool since leaving the club in 2011 – only Mark Hughes against Manchester City (10) has lost more games against a team he’s formerly managed in Premier League history.
- Mohamed Salah’s assist for Roberto Firmino was the 17th time the duo have combined for a Premier League goal for Liverpool – only Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman have combined for more goals for the club in the competition on (24).
- All seven of Liverpool's goals were assisted by different players (Mane, Firmino, Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Salah, Matip & Oxlade-Chamberlain), the first time in Premier League history seven different players have assisted a goal for a team in a match.
- Since August 2018, Liverpool’s Andy Robertson has more Premier League assists than any other defender (28) and the most of any Reds player in that time.
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