Liverpool are already under pressure

When asked how Jürgen Klopp planned to avoid a false start to the season, the German coach reacted indignantly. No wonder, because after a draw on the first matchday at promoted Fulham to speak directly of a botched start would certainly be presumptuous. Nevertheless, the Reds have of course set themselves the clear goal of clinching their first three points at the second attempt.

On Monday evening Liverpool will meet Crystal Palace. According to the odds, the question of whether LFC will win this match does not really arise. It’s more about how high Darwin Nunez and Co. come out on top. In view of the home strength and the fact that the visitors from London had nothing to report at Anfield, this assessment of the bookmakers is quite understandable.

While Klopp’s side would be on four points after two games if they were to get the expected three points, the Eagles could well be talking about an unsuccessful start. Coach Vieira’s team had already deservedly lost out to Arsenal the previous week. The capital club will now be all the more anxious to keep the defensive zero for a long time. It could therefore be a test of patience for the CL finalists, which should be taken into account when looking at the Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace prediction on the match outcome.

Liverpool – Statistics & current form

After a long and exhausting season, it can sometimes take a while for a team to get back to the level it needs to perform as well as they did at their peak. The best example for this thesis was provided by LFC last weekend, when they struggled against promoted Fulham, had to come back from a deficit and could only take a point in the end.

On Monday, Klopp’s team wants to do better. From a purely statistical point of view, there are also many indications that the first win of the season can be achieved. For example, the Reds have not lost their first home league match in the Premier League for 18 (!) seasons. 14 victories compare to four draws in this category. The most recent nine opening games were even all won in front of their own fans.

Liverpool hard to beat at home

Apart from that, the home record of the last weeks and months reads more than impressive. In England’s top flight, LFC have not lost any of their last 20 home games, always scoring at least one goal and winning 16 games in that period. Against this backdrop, it is only logical to place your bets on the hosts in the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

Nevertheless, it must be critically noted that the defence of the runners-up has not looked as stable as it did for long stretches of the previous year. In the last five league games, keeper Alisson Becker has been forced to make a save. The last time they conceded six consecutive Premier League goals was in 1997.

Will Nunez score again?

All the more reason for the German coach to focus on finally keeping a clean sheet. A prediction on a win including a clean sheet is therefore also an exciting option. The odds on LFC winning and scoring a maximum of three goals in the match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace are also interesting. We think a 2-0 or 3-0 win is the most likely outcome.

Thiago, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kelleher, Jota, Jones and Konate are all in hospital and therefore unavailable. Darwin Nunez, the new hopeful from Uruguay, will instead be on the pitch from the start. The newcomer from Benfica Lisbon was involved in both goals on his debut against Fulham and has now scored a staggering 28 points in his last 21 league games. It is quite possible that Nunez will be celebrating again on Monday. Should he score the first goal of the day, a very attractive 4.00 beckons at the top.

Predicted Liverpool line-up:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Nunez, Diaz

Last matches played by Liverpool:

Premier League
06/08/2022 – Fulham 2 – 2 Liverpool FC

Friendly club matches
01/08/2022 – Liverpool FC 0 – 3 Strasbourg

Community Shield
30/07/2022 – Liverpool FC 3 – 1 Manchester City

Club Friendlies
28/07/2022 – RB Salzburg 1 – 0 Liverpool FC

21/07/2022 – RB Leipzig 0 – 5 Liverpool FC

Crystal Palace – Statistics & current form

Crystal Palace are a feared opponent in the Premier League. For many years, the Eagles are always good for surprises. Even the supposed top teams have stumbled against the club from London time and again. This status as a shocking favourite is primarily based on their very defensive style of play.

The compactness of the defence is paramount. A 0:0 is worth more than a 2:2. Priority is given to defending, while offensively the team relies on switching play and the individual quality of the attackers. Unlike many other mid-table Premier League teams, however, the “Crystal Palace” took it a little easier in the summer transfer phase. With Doucouré and Richards, only two new arrivals were brought in for a total of just under 40 million euros. Only Doucouré, who moved to the English capital from Lens as a six, was in the starting eleven for the season opener.

Will Palace start the season with two defeats?

Neither could prevent French coach Patrick Vieira’s side from starting the season with a defeat at home to Arsenal, though. The score was 0-2 after a relatively even 90 minutes in which the Gunners were more effective in taking their chances. Nevertheless, it would be wrong to talk everything down, because the Eagles are particularly comfortable in the role of the underdog, so Liverpool definitely have to be careful.

Crystal Palace’s record at Anfield Road, however, reads anything but good. Nine of the past 13 away games at the Reds’ football temple have been lost. Most recently, there were even five defeats in a row. We therefore go with the trend and venture a prediction between Liverpool and Crystal Palace that the visitors will also leave the pitch as losers for the sixth time in a row. Nathan Ferguson, James McArtur, James Tomkins and Jack Butland are all missing through injury.

Predicted Crystal Palace line-up:
Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Schlupp, Doucoure, Eze; Ayew, Mateta, Zaha

Last matches played by Crystal Palace:

Premier League
06/08/2022 – Crystal Palace 0 – 2 FC Arsenal

Friendly club matches
30/07/2022 – Crystal Palace 4 – 2 Montpellier

23/07/2022 – Queens Park Rangers 0 – 3 Crystal Palace

22/07/2022 – Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Leeds

20/07/2022 – Gillingham 2 – 3 Crystal Palace

Liverpool – Crystal Palace Direct Comparison / H2H Balance

We have already discussed Crystal Palace’s poor performance at Liverpool. In total, LFC have actually won ten consecutive Premier League duels against the Londoners, marking 30 goals in the process. Only against Wolverhampton do Liverpool have a longer winning streak in the English top flight. Last season, the Reds won 3-0 at home and were also a commanding 3-1 winners in the capital.

Liverpool – Crystal Palace Tip

With Manchester City and Arsenal both having made the best possible start to the new season with six points, there is already a certain amount of pressure on the shoulders of LFC’s charges on Monday night. After the opening draw against Fulham, the first three points must come on the second matchday. However, if we look at the betting odds before the Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace match, it becomes clear that this should be a mere formality.

Although the visitors from the capital are not to be underestimated due to their traditionally very defensive approach, virtually all the statistics speak in favour of the Reds, who have won ten times in a row in the Premier League against their upcoming opponents, are unbeaten in 20 home games at league level and have also never lost the first home game in the last 18 seasons.

Due to the low quotes, however, we have opted to place an alternative tip between Liverpool and Crystal Palace. This one aims for the Klopp team to score at least one goal in both halves.