Liverpool vs Crystal Palace LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction after Darwin Nunez red card
The Reds’ search for their first win of the season continues after the Eagles earned a point at Anfield
Darwin Nunez lost his head but fellow South American Luis Diaz ensured 10-man Liverpool did not lose their long unbeaten home record with a brilliant equaliser to secure a 1-1 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace.
Anfield is no stranger to fiery Uruguayans after witnessing the highs and lows of Luis Suarez for three-and-a-half years but the recklessness of their summer signing’s weak headbutt on Joachim Andersen beggared belief.
Frustration had been growing having gone behind to Wilfried Zaha’s 32nd-minute goal against the run of play but the way Nunez to reacted to being provoked by the Palace centre-back was naive at best and idiotic at worst.
The fact the 23-year-old’s act of self-destruction was rescued by Diaz, who beat at least five players in shimmying his way into position to unleash a 25-yard shot past Victor Guaita, four minutes after the red card, will be of no consolation.
Nunez is currently Jurgen Klopp’s only fit striker, with Diogo Jota nursing a thigh injury and Roberto Firmino missing the game as a precaution, and his resulting three-match ban - with arch-rivals Manchester United next up in a week’s time - is likely to be costly.
Klopp’s side already trail leaders Manchester City by four points and with the margin for error in the title race so tight, they cannot afford many more nights like this.
Follow all the reaction from Anfield:
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace line-ups
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Van Dijk, Robertson, Elliott, Fabinho, Milner, Salah, Firmino, Diaz
Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Clyne, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Doucoure, Schlupp, Ayew, Eze, Zaha
A worrying sign for Liverpool?
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have conceded first in each of their last five league fixtures but have not lost any of them. They’ve won three and drawn two.
Is the fact they keep conceding a worrying sign or should the recovery to win points from losing positions be seen as a bigger positive?
Liverpool’s startling form
Liverpool are unbeaten in all 20 Premier League matches in 2022 with 16 wins and four draws. They have also won their opening Premier League home game in each of the last nine seasons.
Jurgen Klopp backs Luis Diaz to bring goals to Liverpool
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes Luis Diaz can score 10 to 15 goals a season as he steps into the role vacated by the departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.
The Colombian scored six in 26 appearances after joining from Benfica in January as the transition of the Reds’ forward line began but now he is expected to start every week there is a greater responsibility on the 25-year-old to deliver.
Diaz had a goal ruled out for offside and hit the woodwork in the 2-2 draw with Fulham in their Premier League opener and he will be expected to supplement the goals from Mohamed Salah and new signing Darwin Nunez, who has scored twice in his first two appearances.
Jurgen Klopp backs Luis Diaz to bring goals to Liverpool
The winger was denied by the woodwork and the offside flag in the season opener against Fulham.
Can Palace keep Liverpool at bay?
Crystal Palace lost against Arsenal in their opening match of the season but they haven’t lost their first two games in a Premier League campaign since 2017-18.
Can they keep Liverpool quiet tonight?
Landmarks for Firmino
Liverpool’s No.9, Roberto Firmino, would become the 15th player in the club’s history to score on all seven days of the week if he nets against Crystal Palace tonight.
Firmino can also bring up 200 Premier League starts for the Reds if he’s selected in the XI by Jürgen Klopp.
Kouyate joins Nottingham Forest
Cheikhou Kouyate left Crystal Palace earlier this summer after failing to agree a new contract with the club.
The 32-year-old has recently signed for Nottingham Forest on a free transfer and the Eagles have sent well wishes to their former midfielder.
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace’s 10 consecutive Premier League defeats in this fixture is their longest top-flight losing run against another team.
But, Jurgen Klopp’s first competitive loss as Liverpool manager came against Crystal Palace when the Eagles inflicted a 2-1 defeat at Anfield in November 2015.
Who will triumph tonight?
Graeme Souness defends ‘man’s game’ comment after Chelsea vs Tottenham
Graeme Souness has defended describing football as a “man’s game” following Chelsea’s feisty draw with Tottenham on Sunday.
The Sky Sports pundit discussed the ill-tempered affair, with the two managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte twice clashing on the touchline.
Souness praised referee Anthony Taylor for letting plenty to go and allowing the game to flow.
Graeme Souness defends ‘man’s game’ comment after Chelsea vs Tottenham
England star Bethany England led the criticism of the comments but Souness stands by his words
‘Palace need to score more’ says Vieira
Following Crystal Palace’s season opening defeat to Arsenal, Patrick Vieira’s focus was about his team being more clinical in front of goal.
“The difference between the two teams today is that they scored those goals, and we created two really good chances to score,” he said after the match.
“We were in a really good period in the second-half and we didn’t take our chances.
“In games like that there is a key moment, and in those key moments we didn’t score that goal to lift the crowd and to build even more that momentum. This is something that we have to work on.”
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