- Isak scores opening goal
- Robertson made it 2-0 with a near finish
- Woodman impresses on full debut
Liverpool have a two-goal lead over Crystal Palace at Anfield at half time, thanks to goals from Alexander Isak and Andy Robertson.
Arne Slot’s side took some time to get into the game, but managed to take a giant leap towards the three points near the end of the half. They have been keeping the away side at bay, but the FA Cup winners are not easy to deal with.
Isak opened the scoring in the 35th minute, after stopping a shot from Mac Allister. The Argentine’s shot from outside the box was heading wide, but the Swede managed to get it under control and slot it past Dean Henderson.
The Reds did not have to wait for long to double their lead, as Robertson scored on a counter just five minutes later. Mateta thought he had Palace level, but a brilliant save from Woodman started their counter, and the Scottish left-back made no mistake after Curtin Jones put him through.
Here are the ReadLiverpoolFC half time ratings:
Freddie Woodman – 8
The goalkeeper was a spectator until the 39th minute when he was forced to make a save on the goalline to deny Mateta. The save proved crucial as Liverpool doubled their lead on the counter second later.
Alisson was delighted with the save and was seen cheering on the goalkeeper from behind the bench.
Curtis Jones – 7
Solid in defence and was a key reason why Liverpool have a two-goal cushion in the game. He made a beautiful run through the middle and put Robertson in to score the second goal of the match.
Ibrahima Konate – 8
Rock solid at the back, and he has been a key reason why Mateta has not been getting enough space to work with today. He has been following the Palace striker like a shadow and keeping him company.
Virgil Van Dijk – 7
Looks off pace today and was slow to recover when Crystal Palace were on the attack in the middle of the half. Seems to be a touch slower than others on the pitch today, especially when the opponents are attacking down his flank.
Andy Robertson – 8
Did not have much to do defensively and his best movement produced the second run. He made a stunning run through the Palace backline on the counter, and made no mistake after Curtis Jones put him clear.
Alexis Mac Allister – 7
He has been forced to sit back and has hardly managed to get forward. However, when he finally got the chance, he managed to drift toward the Palace box, and his shot resulted in an assist for the opening goal of the match.
The assist marks the first time since 2013 that a Liverpool player has assisted his teammate with the same four letters in the first name, as Luis Alberto assisted Luis Suarez vs Tottenham.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
Nothing special in the half, but he has finished the first 45 with a 100% pass success and is doing well to ensure that Palace do not have enough control of the ball in the middle of the pitch.
Mohamed Salah – 6
He was the focal point of most attacks today, but was just unable to deliver. He was taking a touch too long to find his teammates, and his passes inside the box were also iffy.
Florian Wirtz – 7
Has not had a lot to do today and the German has not managed to get on the ball enough near the Palace box. He will be looking to linkup better with the forwards in the second half.
Cody Gakpo – 6
A rather quiet half for the Dutchman, as he has not seen enough of the ball, as most of the attacks have been happening on the right flank.
Alexander Isak – 9
Isak was having a quiet game, but he managed to be in the right position at the right time. The striker stopped a shot from Mac Allister, which was going wide, and managed to slot it into the Palace goal.
Did he mean to bounce the ball over Henderson? Only he will know.
