Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace: Hits and flops from the game

Matchweek 2’s final game saw Liverpool take on Crystal Palace in the race to grab the early season points that will prove to be vital as we come to the business end.

However, while many flocked to their TVs and even Selhurst Part to watch the famous Mohamad Salah, selected as part of the final trio alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric for UEFA’s Player of The Year away, it simply wasn’t to be for the Egyptian.

Roy Hodgson and his Eagles proved to a be a tough cookie to crack, something that few would have predicted despite the likes of Wilfred Zaha, Christian Benteke, Max Meyer and a few others gracing Hodgson’s team-sheet.

The Eagles showed their defensive mettle and gave Jurgen Klopp and his heavy metal brand of football a test, but the Reds walked through with a 2-0 victory.

However, the big difference ended up being referee Michael Olivier and two massive decisions, the first of which was to award Liverpool a penalty just before half-time. His second decision was to send of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, which proved to be decisive.

Here is a look at the 3 worst and the 3 best players of Matchweek two’s final game.

#3 Hit: James Milner

Crystal Palace v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Jurgen Klopp's Mr. Consistent put in another good performance and was Liverpool’s unsung hero as he calmly slotted away the penalty. The English international was always ready and available for a pass, backed up Naby Keita and the Liverpool front-line, and even made his fair share of tackles.

While he was eventually replaced by Jordan Henderson and has been replaced by Naby Keita, the 32-year-old will always be there for Liverpool whenever required as he showed today in a hard-fought battle.

Milner won’t always be able to do it for Liverpool, but like we saw today the former Manchester City star was crucial to Jurgen Klopp’s plans for the future.

#3 Flop: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Crystal Palace’s standout star after their win over Fulham, the 20-year-old started today’s game well and was brilliant as a right back. However, like many football games, everything comes down to one single moment and for Bissaka it was his sending off that will arguably define today’s game.

The England international was stuck between Mohamed Salah and the game going away from the Eagles and did what he could to stop the magical Egyptian.

However, what he did ended up somewhere around a push and a shove which saw Michael Olivier give him his marching orders.

Take nothing away from the England international, if not for the red card, he would have been a part of the hits, but c'est la vie.

#2 Hit: Sadio Mane

Letting Phillippe Coutinho go half-way into last season could have been the worst decision Liverpool ever made if it wasn’t for the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane.

This season, wearing his former colleague’s number 10, Sadio Mane has a point to prove and prove it he has, so far at least.

The Senegal international has been a fire-plug for Jurgen Klopp, scoring three goals in his first two Premier League games and has defenders wary every time he touches the ball.

Today was no different, as the 26-year-old hurried and hassled the Palace backline time after time, even dropping deeper to play his teammates forward.

He even struggled to score for most of the 90 minutes but did brilliantly to get his goal, keeping his nerve after stumbling at the final hurdle to coolly slot it past Wayne Hennessey.

#2 Flop: Patrick Van Aanholt

The Dutchman failed to make an impression against Liverpool and struggled with both Mohamed Salah and Trent-Alexander Arnold testing him together. Handling the Egyptian itself can be a nightmare for many defenders but keeping an eye on both Arnold and Salah, can be tough for anyone.

The Liverpool right-back made full use of Salah’s tendency to cut inside and made sure he was always available to cross the ball into the Palace box.

However, this simply put Aanholt under more pressure and the 27-year-old buckled at times and didn’t have too much of an impact going forward as well.

However, unlike Wan-Bissaka, Van Aanholt was very lucky to stay on the field after slicing James Milner across, with a cynical tackle. While Michael Olivier took a dim view of the challenge, the former Chelsea star was awarded a yellow card for his efforts.

#1 Hit: Naby Keita

He had the world at his feet after a stunning season with RB Leipzig and Naby Keita chose Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool as the place to become a superstar. Donning Steven Gerard’s old number, the Guinean was the man of the match with his splendid performance against the Eagles.

The 23-year-old was simply too much for Crystal Palace to handle at times and created the best chance of the game for Mohammed Salah after a sublime piece of skill. Not only that, he was everywhere, even helping out at left-back on the rare Crystal Palace attack.

Keita’s final pass was perfect and while his finishing could use with some fine tuning, the former Bundesliga star looks to be a hit just two games into his Premier League career.

If he keeps turning up and putting in performances like he just did and stay fit at the same time, Naby Keita has a bright career ahead of him in Anfield.

#1 Flop: Christian Benteke

Easily the worst player on the pitch, the former Aston Villa star failed to show exactly why Brendan Rodgers once made him Liverpool’s second most expensive signing.

However, against his former club, Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson thought that the 27-year-old would outmuscle and out jump his former team-mates and maybe even score a goal.

The Belgian has struggled since arriving at Selhurst Park in 2016, scoring just 18 goals in nearly 70 appearances, including just three last season. However, things never went the former Genk star’s way with bad decisions and a severe lack of confidence playing a massive part.

While Liverpool did have the lion’s share of the position, Benteke looked disinterested at times and even failed to help out strike partner Wilfried Zaha on multiple occasions leaving the 25-year-old with a lot to do.

He needs to pull up his socks or else Hodgson will have no choice but to find another outlet in maybe Alexander Sorloth or Jordan Ayew