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Crystal Palace lost the reverse fixture 3-0 back in September, but all three scorers that day (Sadio Mane, Mo Salah and Naby Keita) are away at the Africa Cup of Nations this time around.
However, it would be a surprise if the Eagles were able to take advantage here. They’ve been a more attacking side under Patrick Vieira and although the results have largely been good and the football more palatable, clean sheets have certainly been hard to come by.
In fact, Palace have only shut their opponents out in five of 23 games across all competitions this season, including just once from their past 11 appearances, as even that was achieved when facing the division’s lowest scorers in Norwich.
Limited to encounters against the top seven in the table – those realistically competing for a place in European competition next season – Palace are W2-D2-L5 and conceded at least twice in six of these games, as well as shipping three goals on four occasions.
Jurgen Klopp’s side may have been frustrated in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final with Arsenal at Anfield, despite Granit Xhaka’s sending off, but they demonstrated that they still have plenty of firepower without their African stars in the second leg.
Arsenal may have suffered another red card as Thomas Partey picked up a pair of bookings, though his dismissal came in the 90th minute and Diogo Jota had already secured his brace in the 2-0 win by that point.
Diogo Jota To Score Anytime
The Portuguese forward has been in sensational form since signing for the club. Although he had failed to score in his previous four appearances against Leicester, Chelsea, Arsenal and Brentford, his double against the Gunners on Thursday takes him to 14 goals across all competitions in the current campaign, with 13 from 22 starts.
That includes 10 league strikes, with seven coming against bottom-half sides. Given Roberto Firmino has netted just the once since mid-October, while Takumi Minamino has struggled for consistency in his limited opportunities, Jota looks the most likely man to find the back of the net in the absence of Salah and Mane.
Palace will offer a threat of their own at the other end, even if talisman Wilfried Zaha remains at the Africa Cup of Nations. Jordan Ayew could return to the side following Ghana’s group stage elimination, Conor Gallagher should be as lively as ever, while Odsonne Edouard, Christian Benteke, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are all capable of chipping in if called upon.
The Eagles should make Liverpool sweat for the points then, especially at Selhurst Park where they’ve lost just twice in 11 appearances this season. They haven’t failed to score there since their first home game this term, even managing to bag 10 goals in their last four on home turf.
Impressive as that might be, we’d be reticent about backing them to register in this one, as Liverpool have won without conceding in each of their past four meetings with the Eagles by a combined 16-0 scoreline.
The visitors also come into this fixture off the back of three consecutive clean sheets, while in the league alone they’ve kept their opponent’s attack at bay in eight of 11 clashes with bottom-half sides this term.
PREDICTION:
DIOGO JOTA TO SCORE ANYTIME
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