Arsenal legend Paul Merson has come out with a bold score prediction ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League showdown with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Fresh off their dramatic, last-gasp victory over Everton in the Merseyside derby, Liverpool return to Premier League action this weekend with a renewed sense of belief as they host Crystal Palace.
Indeed, heading into the Derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the narrative was that the Reds had very little mental resolve, having just been dumped out of the Champions League in drab fashion 4-0 at the hands of European champions, Paris Saint-Germain.
Thankfully, though, Arne Slot‘s men displayed all the grit and character required to overcome their city rivals, as Virgil Van Dijk was the 100th-minute match-winner for the visitors.
Liverpool will need to give their all in equal measure if they are to overcome the challenge of Oliver Glasner’s Eagles, who have already gotten the better of the Reds three times this season, in three separate competitions.
Surely, the Merseyside giants will be determined not to hand the visitors from South London another win, at their expense, with Paul Merson predicting an audacious final scoreline when writing his regular SportsKeeda column.
Merson’s bold Liverpool prediction
Merson, who has been a Sky Sports regular ever since hanging up his boots, was giving his thoughts on all the high-stakes games happening in the Premier League in matchweek 34.
With Arsenal needing to win to keep up the chase with Manchester City at the very top of the table, alongside some huge relegation matches occurring, the SportsKeeda columnist also took the time to offer his thoughts on how Liverpool would fare against the Eagles.
Staggeringly, despite the reigning Premier League champions suffering from regular misfires this season, with ten league defeats next to their name, Merson is predicting that Liverpool will humble Palace 3-0 at Anfield.
He wrote: “I can’t see anything but a Liverpool win here. Crystal Palace have a big game coming up in the Europa Conference League against Shakhtar Donetsk next Thursday.
“Honestly, Palace’s season entirely depends on the next two Thursdays, when they play Shakhtar over two legs in the semi-final of the Conference League.
“They have done enough to stay up in the Premier League and should now put all their eggs in one basket to try and win that trophy!
“Liverpool got a massive result last weekend in the derby against Everton. They are now five points ahead of Brighton and could open that gap up to eight points with a win here.
If Liverpool get three points in this game, I’d be shocked if they still miss out on Champions League football next season.”
The always outspoken pundit reckons Palace’s focus will be so tunnel visioned on succeeding in the Conference League that they’ll roll over for Slot’s men to pick up a convincing 3-0 win, to seriously boost their Champions League chances.
The Eagles will no doubt offer a bit more fight than Merson is suggesting, as they have a mightily impressive record against the Merseyside titans in recent clashes between the two top-flight sides.
Will Palace roll over?
It is fair to say that Palace will be looking to win the Conference League, as a major European honour will certainly sit pretty in the barren Selhurst Park trophy cabinet.
But, they will also be aiming to push up the Premier League standings, if they can, as a final 13th position would be a slightly drab way for Glasner to bow out from the club.
Further, Liverpool shouldn’t be expecting an easy clash with the Eagles, knowing the number of times they have frustratingly found it difficult to beat Glasner’s side, just this season.
Liverpool’s recent defeats to Crystal Palace across all competitions:
| Date | Competition | Venue | Result | Context |
| Oct 29 2025 | EFL Cup | Anfield | 0-3 | Shock defeat in early round of EFL Cup |
| Sep 27 2025 | Premier League | Selhurst Park | 2-1 | 97th-minute winner from Eddie Nketiah |
| Aug 10 2025 | Community Shield | Wembley | 2-2 (3-2 pens) | Liverpool lost first chance of silverware |
| Apr 14 2024 | Premier League | Anfield | 0-1 | Eberechi Eze scored the winner |
| Apr 23 2017 | Premier League | Anfield | 1-2 | Christian Benteke haunted his former team with two goals |
Indeed, Palace have had the Reds’ number on three different occasions, with a penalty shootout loss in the Community Shield beginning Liverpool’s 2025/26 season on a sour note.
Adding to the hosts’ anxiety, the South London side has already done the double over Liverpool this season. The Eagles secured a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park, before delivering a stunning 3-0 blow at Anfield, a match where a heavily rotated Reds side was thoroughly outclassed.
Freddie Woodman was in between the sticks for that heavy defeat, a haunting memory he’ll be eager to erase as he likely steps in again this Saturday.
Woodman will likely have an opportunity to right the wrongs of that night on Saturday, as he is expected to start against his boyhood side for his first-ever Premier League start for Liverpool.
Woodman is desperate for the chance to redeem himself between the posts, hoping to anchor a performance that validates Merson’s bold predictions. For Liverpool, the goal is simple: deliver a clinical display that brings them one step closer to securing Champions League football for the 2026/27 campaign.
