Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool
Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool
Palace got the better of Liverpool on penalties in the community shield - can they cause another upset against the champions today?
Here come the players!
The Crystal Palace and Liverpool players make their way onto the turf at Selhurst Park - and we're closing in on kick off!
Glasner: We need to create chances
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner to Sky Sports:
"[Structure] is very important today. We have to be compact. You can't just defend, we need pressure and to create chances in their half, and that's the plan"
Slot: Isak is ready
Liverpool manager Arne Slot to Sky Sports:
"He's getting more and more ready - he's already with us longer now. He knows his teammates better. He's the most ready now, but unfortunately we face a very strong team today.
"One of their strengths is their discipline. They don't give away many opportunities. We have to match their intensity"
Murray: Palace a tough test for Isak
Former Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray on Soccer Saturday:
"They'll want him up to speed as soon as possible, but it's going to be a tough test against this Crystal Palace team - they aren't going to give him much space to get in behind.
"When you're Alexander Isak, you have a whole host of ways that you can score goals - there's no doubt he can be the difference."
Sarr looks sharp as he prepares to hurt Liverpool again
Sky Sports' Peter Smith at Selhurst Park:
"Sarr has just cracked a shot into the top corner in front of me as the Palace players go through their pre-match shooting drill.
"It's a big boost for the home side to have him back. An integral player in their success last season - and a big influence at Wembley in August, too.
"He won the penalty for Mateta to score Palace's first and then tucked in their second before scoring in the shootout.
"Sarr gave Van Dijk a tough afternoon that day. Can he trouble the Dutchman and this Liverpool defence again today? He looks sharp after his spell on the sidelines."
How they could shape up...
Gravenberch to maintain his scoring streak?
Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch has scored two goals in his last four Premier League appearances, more than he managed in his first 63 games (1).
He is averaging 1.8 shots per 90 minutes in 2025-26, having only averaged 0.6 per 90 last season.
Guehi focused on Palace project after Liverpool move falls through
Marc Guehi makes no mention of his failed move to Liverpool in his captain's notes in today's match programme - perhaps no surprise!
But nonetheless it is a talking point this afternoon, especially with Liverpool's defensive resources being hit by the injury to Giovanni Leoni.
Guehi writes: "...on our day we have the ability to compete with the very best sides in the world" in reference to Palace's penalty shootout win over Liverpool in the Community Shield.
Regardless of all the off-pitch noise about his future, Guehi and his Palace team-mates will be hoping to deliver another statement performance today.
Behind the scenes at Selhurst...
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Salah two goal involvements off another record
Since the start of last season, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has been involved in 51 Premier League goals (31 goals, 20 assists), 20 more than any other player.
He has 274 goal involvements for the Reds (186 goals, 88 assists), just two shy of the record for a single club – Wayne Rooney for Manchester United (183 goals, 93 assists).
The venue
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Remembering Jota - the difference maker in this game last season
Last season the late Diogo Jota’s ninth minute goal was all that separated the sides at Selhurst Park, giving Liverpool victory in October.
Liverpool fans will remember him in the 20th minute again today.
Slot: Palace are hard to score against
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was asked what the biggest challenge facing Crystal Palace is - and he said it was breaking down Oliver Glasner's defence.
"It's very hard to score goals against them," Slot said in Friday's pre-match press conference.
"It's a difficult team to score against. They've improved, especially compared to the first time we played them at the beginning of last season.
"We have players who can score goals, the quality as a team to create chances for our front three or four players. Because of the way they play and line up as a 5-2-3 or 5-4-1, it's not easy to create against. When we create, we will be smart to score as soon as we can.
"You can only score a winner if you prevent the other team from scoring as well. You do see teams that attack a lot, who get frustrated and then in transition, don't sprint back as fast as we do. We work really hard, that is one of our strengths."
Guehi starts as Sarr makes his return from injury
Marc Guehi faces off against the team he so nearly joined on deadline day!
The Crystal Palace captain leads a side which is changed by just one from the line-up which went out for the win against West Ham last weekend.
And it's a big boost for Palace, with Ismaila Sarr fit again after his thigh problem to come straight into the XI. Will Hughes makes way.
There is more positive news for Palace, with Yeremy Pino fit to start after hurting his knee in that game at West Ham.
British-record buy Isak makes first PL start for Liverpool
Alexander Isak makes his first Premier League start for Liverpool today, while Florian Wirtz is also back into the Reds' XI.
Isak scored his first goal for his new club on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup against Southampton. Arne Slot is managing his minutes after his disrupted pre-season but Hugo Ekitike's suspension for his red card later in that cup game means Isak goes from the off again here.
It's good news for Wirtz, too, who began on the bench last weekend in the Merseyside derby and didn't feature in the squad on Tuesday night. Cody Gakpo is among the subs - and that's the other change from the win over Everton last time out in the league.
Giovanni Leoni, of course, isn't involved after his ACL against Southampton, which means Joe Gomez is the back-up should Arne Slot need to make a change at centre-back.
Liverpool team news
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Crystal Palace team news
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