That’s where we’ll wrap up today’s MBM. After a quiet first half, it proved to be entertaining and at times baffling Saturday lunchtime fare with no shortage of the usual VAR claptrap. Liverpool won’t care too much about that.
It’s over to you, Arsenal and Aston Villa, who will play out a Saturday evening contest for the ages from 5.30pm. Until then, I’ll point you in the direction of our 3pm clockwatch updates, with Jonathan Liew’s report from Selhurst Park right here as well.
An honest assessment from Jamie Carragher:
Liverpool top of the #PremierLeague but we have to improve defensively! @VirgilvDijk @Alissonbecker outstanding again 🔥
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) December 9, 2023
They have been doing some very heavy lifting this season. @MoSalah 👑 Legend #CRYLIV ⚽️
Some other full-time scores from today’s early kick-offs:
In the Championship, it finished Blackburn 0-2 Leeds and Sunderland 2-1 West Brom, while in the WSL it was Manchester City 2-1 Aston Villa.
“He’s a good kid,” said Salah on Harvey Elliott. Is he a contender to bolt into Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad? More of this and he will be.
Harvey Elliot's game by numbers vs. Palace:
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 9, 2023
100% pass accuracy
100% duels won
23/23 passes completed
1 goal
Brilliant winner. 💥 pic.twitter.com/j2av0zxmC0
200 for Liverpool, 150 in the Premier League. He’s some player, isn’t he?
Salah also hits 150 in the Premier League 🤯
— Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) December 9, 2023
Incredible. 👏#LFC https://t.co/7w0FZsRTQJ pic.twitter.com/mlvmgHB2Aw
Mo Salah and Harvey Elliott chat to TNT Sports after scoring the key goals today.
“Selhurst Park is a tough place to come,” says Elliott. “But we showed the resilience to keep on going. I think my finish today shows what I’ve learned off him [Salah].”
Salah reflects on his 200th goal for Liverpool: “I’m happy for the record and also for my team to win the game.”
FT: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
A befuddling game of football comes to a close and Liverpool take three points and march to the top of the Premier League, thanks to late goals from Mo Salah and Harvey Elliott.
The second from the young midfielder was a lovely curling left-footed effort, worthy of winning the contest. But before that, VAR caused much confusion, with unsettling decisions for both sides, particularly the two yellow cards for Jordan Ayew after which Crystal Palace couldn’t compete.
Klopp consoles Hodgson at full-time, before congratulating his players. They showed character today but you cannot help but feel sorry for Palace, who deserved at least a point.
Updated
99 mins + 11: There almost was a late twist! Andersen wins the header at the back post and he forces Alisson into a fine save low to his right, parrying out for a corner.
There’s another VAR check for something … not given. Mateta’s header is deflected away for another corner.
90 mins + 10: Deep, deeeeeep into added time and Olise wins his side a free-kick in a decent spit. Late twist?
Whatever your complaints about the red card call, this goal was worthy of winning any game.
PURE CLASS! ✨
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 9, 2023
Harvey Elliott scores a wonderful goal to put Liverpool ahead 💥
What a goal! 👏 pic.twitter.com/s19ttdO9P9
90 mins + 7: It’s all Allez, Allez, Allez in the Liverpool end as their players toy with Palace, looking to see this one out.
Job done? No, Luis Diaz is offside! He thought he’d made it 3-1 after Elliott slipped the ball through and the Colombian dinked it over Matthews and into the net.
Bizarrely, there’s still five minutes left of this, but you cannot see Palace getting anything, in truth. Will Hughes comes off after an impressive and combative outing.
Updated
90 mins + 2: Once again, Liverpool have fought back from behind after not playing particularly well for the bulk of the game. They’ve had a helping hand with Ayew’s red card, but boy they’ve made their extra man count.
Are they the real deal this season?
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool (Elliott 90)
Brilliant from Harvey Elliott!
He’s not been involved too much since replacing Darwin Nunez, but he’s afforded too much space on the edge of the area, after Salah feeds him, and he arrows a sweely-struck effort into the bottom right corner beyond Matthews. What a sensational goal.
Updated
90 mins: “Who’s the Scouser in the black?” sing the Palace fans.
They’re not going to be happy with the amount of added time the officials apply, either. Rumour is it’ll be 10 minutes.
Lots of people are telling me that Hugh Jackman is a Norwich fan and asking why on earth he’s at this game.
Because he can?
88 mins: Matthews is immediately called into action after a marauding run from Gomez down the right, with the keeper beating it away from a tight angle.
Gomez, unfancied by Klopp of late, has impressed since coming on at half-time.
86 mins: Johnstone is coming off injured and Remi Matthews will replace him, making both his club debut and Premier League debut.
My inbox is full of fans questioning the two key decisions in this game: the penalty and the red card. Personally, I think Ayew’s red is far more questionable.
Chris Taberner says: “So is the high bar for a second yellow no longer a thing?” Mark Hooper simply asks: “Why was Ayew sent off?”
To worsen the misery for Palace, Sam Johnstone is down and looks to be in some strife.
Updated
83 mins: A couple of sturdy headers from Andersen stop the Liverpool seige in its tracks. Then, Mateta tries to lead the counter but it’s so hard for Palace now with 10 men.
Hodgson responds by throwing on French youngster Naouirou Ahamada in place of Schlupp.
There was no debate about Salah’s goal.
THAT'S THE ONE!
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 9, 2023
Milestone reached ✅
Liverpool equalise ✅
Mo Salah at it again for Liverpool! 💥 pic.twitter.com/gtycVg3SNQ
81 mins: Sumptuous football from Liverpool. Cody Gakpo has made a massive difference and his silky interchanges with Salah are causing a major headache for Palace now. They survive this time, just about.
79 mins: It seemed so innocuous at the time, but the game really has turned on Andy Madley’s decision to send Jordan Ayew off. I suspect half our readers will believe it’s a nailed-on second yellow and the other half will say it’s ludicrously soft.
The debate will rage. Liverpool won’t care.
78 mins: Crikey, it’s all Liverpool now. Hold onto your hats.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Liverpool (Salah 76)
Liverpool instantly make their mark against 10 men!
Gakpo makes ground down the right and it falls kindly for Salah, whose shot gets a deflection beyond Johnstone and nestles neatly in the corner. How quickly things can change!
Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
Updated
RED CARD! Ayew (Crystal Palace)
Oh Jordan Ayew, what have you done? It’s the cheapest of cheap second yellows and the Ghanaian is given his marching orders.
He’s actually applauded off the pitch by the Crystal Palace faithful. That was a very soft foul but it’s difficult to argue it was a second yellow.
Updated
Richard Hirst emails in again to back another LFC comeback:
As a Fulham supporter desperate to stay above Palace I absolutely demand equal treatment from Liverpool!
Team news is dropping for the 3pm kick-offs, which you can follow with Rob Smyth:
71 mins: Assertive play from Gakpo, who looks to be playing in an attacking midfield role, barging beyond one or two and winning a free-kick from Richards, who is booked.
Another good delivery comes in from Alexander-Arnold, but Nunez steers it wide on the volley.
70 mins: Let’s take a minute to say this is far from done and dusted for Liverpool and you wouldn’t bet against them taking all three points with a late show, as they did against Fulham at Anfield last Sunday.
These top teams never know when they’re beaten.
Alexander-Arnold takes a corner, which Van Dijk cannot quite head towards goal.
68 mins: That’s the end of Lerma’s afternoon, with Michael Olise introduced in his place. A fairly attacking move from Hodgson.
A measured response to the penalty situation from Liverpool fan John Steven:
“That was a pen. Can’t argue with that. But I would love to know why the game can be stopped 1.45 later, but the game couldn’t be stopped at Spurs 5 seconds later. Am I missing something?”
Cool as you like! 😎
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 9, 2023
Jean-Philippe Mateta puts Crystal Palace ahead from the spot ✨ pic.twitter.com/z0hxBfdeD0
65 mins: Fantastic, committed defending from Palace this time, with Lerma and Andersen both getting in key tackles in on the edge of their box. Lerma looks like he’s got a spot of cramp.
Updated
64 mins: Palace are threatening a second one, here. They’re really revelling in their direct style, this hostile atmosphere and Liverpool simply cannot get a foothold in the contest.
Jordan Ayew has been impressive since the resumption.
Some contrasting thoughts on the penalty from our readers:
Fergus Keogh says: “The most ridiculous decision in quite a while.”
Jeff Sax adds: “Clear penalty … why no card given to defender??!!”
Samuel Dodson: “On the 1 min 45 seconds that it took for the VAR to pull back play. How does that compare to the 20 seconds after the Liverpool Diaz goal (against Spurs) where PGMOL said too much time had elapsed for them to bring the game back?”
61 mins: That’s a cracking chance for Schlupp and he should really have done better. Mateta is doing a fine job holding up the ball for the hosts and it really opened up for Schlupp, who could only fire straight down Alisson’s throat.
A 12.30pm kick-off in which Liverpool haven’t played well and now a VAR controversy …
Jürgen Klopp is going to explode if this stays 1-0 to Palace.
59 mins: Thoughts on that decision, everyone?
The foul looked quite clear – Quansah wiped out Mateta and certainly got nothing on the ball – but the delay was frankly ridiculous.
Selhurst is rocking now.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-0 Liverpool (Mateta 57 pen)
Mateta picks up the ball and spots the penalty himself. Liverpool’s players looked confused and bemused after that decision, and meanwhile Klopp has brought on Gakpo and Konate for Gravenberch and the culprit, Quansah.
Mateta steps up … and scores! So calm!
Updated
Penalty Palace!
55 mins: I said ‘“nothing doing” but in fact the VAR John Brooks takes an inordinate amount of time to check that foul and it’s going to be a review on the monitor! Bizarre …
Quansah is the player who appears to have fouled Mateta. And this one is given after a check!
Updated
54 mins: More Palace appeals for a penalty as Mateta goes down after steaming towards the near post to meet Hughes’ cross.
Nothing doing.
52 mins: Gomez gets his touch very wrong while trying to intercept and it merely serves to allow Palace to stream forward on the break, Clyne feeding Lerma, whose cross is clinked away for a corner.
51 mins: Lerma latches onto Hughes’ free-kick that is whipped in from the left, but he’s never in control of the header, which is well over.
49 mins: Salah is looking to dictate things for Liverpool now, dropping a touch deeper and more central to pick up possession, as is his wont.
Nunez almost gets his head onto what I think was a shot from Diaz, the Colombian cutting inside and fizzing an effort that was going well wide, even after Nunez’s header of-sorts.
46 mins: Straight away, Trent Alexander-Arnold moves into the Liverpool midfield, with Gomez at right back. TAA at CDM.
SECOND HALF
We go again.
Both teams have made half-time changes, with Joe Gomez on for Endo for Liverpool, while Palace have introduced Jean-Philippe Mateta for Edouard, who is seems has an injury.
“I’m off to watch some paint dry,” says Rick Harris, who has really enjoyed that first half:
“Amazed you managed to stay awake during that first half dross, Dominic. I was hoping to put off painting my kitchen door until later on the grounds that this was simply too good a game to miss, but I must admit watching paint dry is a relatively exciting prospect after 45 + 5 minutes of Hodpodge/Klopped out ball.”
In fairness, Rick, it’s kind of my job to stay awake for it. Here’s that VAR incident from the first half:
Penalty shout for Crystal Palace but the decision was overturned upon review ❌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 9, 2023
Virgil van Dijk's yellow card also rescinded 🟨
Was this the right decision? pic.twitter.com/MLekQholSZ
Before I stick the half-time kettle on, allow me to point you in the direction of The Guardian’s socials:
We’re on Threads, the exciting alternative to that other platform @guardian_sport
It’s the same @guardian_sport username on Instagram.
We’re on Facebook as well, Boomers.
And catch all our videos on YouTube – or stick with us via Musk’s mob on X/Twitter, if you must.
HT: Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool
A perfect half of football if you’re a Crystal Palace supporter. All those pre-match predictions of a Liverpool landslide have proven unfounded, with Roy Hodgson’s side putting on a virtual defensive masterclass.
Klopp starts jogging over to the tunnel to prepare his half-time team talk. He’ll need to muster some words of wisdom to rouse his players for the second half.
The only action of note was that penalty decision for Palace, which was correctly reversed by VAR after a Will Hughes foul in the build-up. Alisson made a key save from Lerma before that, while Liverpool haven’t really had a true chance.
Updated
45 mins + 4: This is far, far better from Liverpool but you wonder where on earth this attacking intent has been for 45 minutes …
Palace wouldn’t mind half-time just to quell this particular spell from Klopp’s crew.
45 mins + 2: Liverpool look most dangerous when the trio of Salah, Szoboszlai and Alexander-Arnold combine down the right. They do exactly that to work a chance for Szoboszlai, whose shot is charged down superbly by Hughes.
The visitors are turning up the dial in first half stoppage time, here.
Updated
Into five added minutes at the end of this first half.
43 mins: Hugh Jackman is in the crowd (me neither) and Lucy Ward is on the money in the co-comms’ chair.
“You’d have thought he would support Wolves, wouldn’t you?”
Zing.
Updated
42 mins: Roy suppresses a smile on the touchline as Palace win a free-kick for the umpteenth time this half, and choose again to send it in long. Van Dijk nods away.
This email on the penalty check comes from Dechlan Brennan and is spot-on:
I think that’s the right call but surely it didn’t need 2-3 minutes looking at the monitor. I’m a VAR fan but every time that happens I turn more and more.
39 mins: Liverpool are trying to restore a measure of control to this contest, keeping the ball in midfield for a spell. The chaos Palace are creating doesn’t suit the visitors.
37 mins: Lovely interplay between Schlupp and Clyne down the Palace left, but the cross from the former Liverpool man is poor … and it leads to the first booking of the afternoon as Joel Ward takes one for the team to snuff out a Reds’ counterattack.
Slow starts in 12.30pm kick-offs?
Joe Pearson says: “Regarding your comment on 20 minutes, I think Liverpool are trying to complete their signature lighting-fast breaks, but the wind is creating some havoc with their long, probing passes.”
Robert Lowery adds: “I think 12:30 kickoffs can be as exciting as any others ... my hunch is that the [slow] reputation stems from the turgid Benitez/ Mourinho/ late-Fergie nature of the top tier sides when it was introduced.”
Updated
34 mins: Palace may feel aggrieved at that decision, but they are the side making all the running in this game now. They’re pressing at the right areas, remaining compact in defence and really restricting Liverpool.
“It was aggressive from Will Hughes but just beyond the mark and I think the referee got to the right decision,” says Rio Ferdinand on TNT.
More debate on kick-off times, and a good point made by Digvijay Yadav:
Just to play devil’s advocate on the KO time. It is prime time in Asia (from the subcontinent to the far east). There is a reason why the Premier League will get more than £7 bn for its overseas rights for a four-year period. The rest of Europe will struggle to match that combined. The league caters to every part of the world and is handsomely rewarded for it. This goes back to the 90s. The current generation is reaping the rewards of Wenger and Ferguson’s teams lining up early doors on Saturdays.
Penalty overturned
The decision is reversed and, I must say, understandably so. Hughes didn’t win the ball and that turnover of possession led directly to the awarding of the penalty, with Edouard sent clean through afterwards.
Madley really made sure with a good long look at the monitor. The home fans aren’t happy but it’s a sensible call.
Updated
31 mins: It was Hughes on Endo … the Palace midfielder didn’t get the ball. But was there enough contact to send Endo spiralling to the ground? That’s what VAR are trying to decide.
Andy Madley is going to look at the screen.
30 mins: Was there a foul from Will Hughes in the buildup to that? There’s no doubt Van Dijk took out Edouard …
VAR are going to have a look.
Updated
29 mins: Has to be a penalty to Palace and it is. Edouard was felled by Van Dijk and Andy Madley has no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
28 mins: Palace should be ahead, goodness me! That’s why Alisson is so valuable, an incredible save to keep that out and then scrambled it away.
Lerma ghosted in at the back post after an inch-perfect cross from Ayew. Alisson’s initial save almost sent the ball spinning back over his line, but Alexander-Arnold reacted to knock the rebound to safety.
Updated
26 mins: Ray Lewington is barking orders from the Crystal Palace dugout, moving his defensive pieces about as the Eagles continue to keep Liverpool at bay. “All day, Schluppy, all day!”
Another free-kick is pumped into the mixer by Ward, but Liverpoola are equal to it again.
Food-ball Weekly? Thomas Stratford has entered the lunchtime chat on email:
“I’d give a January Football Weekly hosted by Grace Dent and Jay Rayner a listen,” he says.
23 mins: Klopp will surely be frustrated with the amount of times Liverpool have been penalised in the centre of the pitch. It’s really letting Palace off the hook, as Alexander-Arnold concedes a corner after good work down the hosts’ left from Jeff Schlupp.
20 mins: Has there ever been a rocket-fast, goal-filled, end-to-end start in a 12.30pm kick-off? That would be my biggest issue with it. They always seems to be slow going and this is proving the same, so far.
18 mins: As a traditionalist, Endo wearing No 3 in central midfield is rather troubling. He’s been very neat and tidy on the ball, though, keeping Liverpool ticking in tandem with Alexander-Arnold who is drifting increasingly into central areas.
“Hi Dominic. Christmas dinner, breakfast pasta - maybe the MBM should ask for a January window transfer to the Food pages,” writes Richard Hirst.
Sorry Richard, I should have had more porridge this morning.
On the pitch, Guéhi nods away for a corner with men lurking at the back post. Gravenberch is then charged down by Andersen as he was lining up a shot. Palace defending stoutly at the moment.
13 mins: After halfhearted appeals for a Palace penalty at one end are waved away by referee Andy Madley, Salah and Nunez nearly barge and bundle their way through the hosts’ defence, only for Johnstone to claim the Egyptian’s cross, which was too loopy – two men were waiting for it, as well.
11 mins: The stats say Liverpool have enjoyed almost 80% of the ball but that’s not really translated into any chances as yet.
Neither team has awoken from their Saturday morning slumber as yet. Maybe not enough pasta for breakie.
9 mins: Liverpool swarm around Jefferson Lerma just when the midfielder might have slipped a ball in behind the defence. Edouard was lurking with serious intent, but that’s classic Klopp-era Liverpool in the way they busted a gut to win it back.
Now they go on the attack …
7 mins: Another sloppy Liverpool foul, another long free-kick sent in by Ward, who is playing his 350th game for Palace today. Liverpool make a right old hash of clearing the ball, with the wind clearly playing its part at Selhurst Park. Old school stuff.
An email from reader Karen As’adi on Klopp …
We had a professor back at college who told all sorts of jokes but always got touchy when a student would reciprocate. Kinda reminds me of how Klopp got touchy after the reporter mentioned today’s kick-off time, but hey this is modern football: being rude to journalists is a sign of charisma.
5 mins: Odsonne Édouard is going to be feeding off scraps today if this opening five minutes is anything to go by. As we know, Palace are not shy to go direct when they have to.
They get a chance to lump in a long free-kick, but Quansah gets under it and Liverpool clear.
3 mins: A sliced effort from Tsmikas is never going to trouble Johnstone in the Palace goal.
I stand corrected on the hosts’ formation. It’s more of a 4-1-4-1, with Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma in front of Chris Richards, who is anchoring the midfield.
Updated
2 mins: Liverpool waste little time in getting it forward early doors, with the runners Nunez, Salah and Diaz already interchanging. Palace will have to be super-solid; let’s keep an eye on the Eagles’ shape. Looks like maybe a 4-4-1-1.
KICK OFF
Let’s do this. Your Saturday lunchtime is go.
Rio Ferdinand and Peter Crouch, who both look quite cold and wet on TNT Sports, believe Liverpool can “set a marker” today, but will have to be “resilient”.
It’s pretty much pressure off for Palace in the swirling south London rain this afternoon. Crouch says so, a “free one” in his words. The players have emerged to the strains of Glad All Over.
Today’s special guest.
Today I’m back to @CPFC and Selhurst Park🎉
— Mathias svensson (@Svensenegger) December 9, 2023
My home about 25 years and 15 kilos ago👌🏻
Terry Venables brought me to a great club with @Terry_Fenwick as the coach. I also had Steve Coppell as a manager.
Will be a great day⭐️ pic.twitter.com/uq8SOgvpwc
Jürgen Klopp described this regenerated team as “Liverpool 2.0”, so many fans are already jumping ahead to dub Jarell Quansah “Van Dijk 2.0”. They are some rather big shoes to step into, but all the reports from the Reds’ academy are positive.
Crystal Palace might be vulnerable right now, but they’re still Crystal Palace and it’s still an away game at Selhurst Park, so a decent acid test awaits for Quansah.
Updated
Another bit of pre-match reading for you, as our very own Ben Fisher caught up with Aston Villa’s jet-heeled winger, Moussa Diaby:
The “spoiled” supporters of Crystal Palace will get another glorious treat today against Liverpool. The Eagles’ only win in their previous eight matches came at Turf Moor against Burnley and they have suffered demoralising defeats to Everton, Luton and Bournemouth since. Hodgson took umbrage with the fans booing his side’s dismal efforts against the Cherries on Wednesday. Palace were poor throughout, barely laying a glove on Andoni Iraola’s side, and deserved criticism.
Picking a fight with the supporters is rarely a sensible move, regardless of a person’s standing at the club. Hodgson was never favoured at Anfield in his dreary, short-lived spell as manager, and it is unlikely his popularity will drop to those levels in south London. If he wants to get the supporters back on side, though, he will need his team to show more fight, regardless of the result.
Why do pundits insist on walking menacingly towards the camera these days?
"Liverpool will be in the shake-up this season for the title"@rioferdy5 gives his verdict on Liverpool's chances at the Premier League title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/F5J4K1dBQW
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 9, 2023
The general consensus seems to be that Crystal Palace without Eberechi Eze, Cheick Doucouré, Tyrick Mitchell or Michael Olise in their starting lineup is a bit like Christmas dinner without the turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes and gravy. All apart from Olise are injured, and even with the right winger Hodgson has spoken about managing his game time.
Pre-match predictions of a landslide Liverpool win are now dropping by the bucketload. Remember Crystanbul, though.
The headline from those teamsheets is the return of Alisson in goal for Liverpool, which is obviously a major boon. The Brazilian was an almighty miss during his three-game absence with a hamstring problem.
Jarell Quansah is the other slight surprise (although not to those who watch him regularly), with the 20-year-old handed just a second Premier League start at centre-back in the absence of Joel Matip. The Warrington-born defender has been preferred to Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez.
For Palace, former Liverpool man Nathaniel Clyne makes a start, potentially at left back, while Michael Olise’s demotion to the subs’ bench is a bit puzzling. Maybe a masterplan from Roy. You can never tell.
Crystal Palace team news: Olise on bench
Crystal Palace XI: Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guéhi, Clyne; Richards, Lerma, Schlupp, Hughes; Ayew, Edouard
Subs: Matthews, Tomkins, Olise, Franca, Mateta, Ediowei, Ahamada, Riedewald, Ozoh
Updated
Liverpool team news: Alisson returns
Liverpool XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Djk, Tsimikas; Endo, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Salah, Núñez, Díaz
Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Konaté, Jones, Elliott, Bradley, McConnell, Gakpo, Doak
Updated
Preamble
Happy Saturday lunchtime, everyone! It’s Jürgen Klopp’s favourite kick-off ti … sorry, we shouldn’t joke about such things. For all the Liverpool manager’s complaints, however, his team find themselves in the early weekend slot for the 15th time in his eight-year tenure, which is more than double the amount of times many of their ‘big six’ rivals have been allocated it.
Klopp would take three points in any shape or form today, you suspect, as a win would lift Liverpool to the top of the Premier League – even if only for a few hours. Roy Hodgson is at loggerheads with Crystal Palace fans after claiming they were “spoilt” in midweek so he’s got some making up to do. It should all make for rather absorbing Saturday lunchtime viewing. Get your morning pasta down you and enjoy.
Kick-off: 12.30pm GMT.
Updated
