Match report: relentless champions topped Palace’s seven

Takumi Minamino’s first Premier League goal, which came in the third minute, steered the champions towards a resounding victory that was marked by a ruthless shot.

Sadio Mane’s tremendous shot in the 35th minute doubled the lead, before Roberto Firmino finished off a masterful counterattack on the edge of the break.

A shocking first hit by Jordan Henderson made him a four in the early stages of a second period dominated by the Reds, who added more goals via an exquisite dink from Firmino and a late double from Mohamed Salah, which featured a predatory header. and an impressive 20-yard curling iron.

Jürgen Klopp’s team is now six points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Team news

Joel Matip returned to the Champions’ Starting XI as one of three changes made by Klopp.

Naby Keita, making his 50th Premier League appearance for the club, and Minamino also entered, with Rhys Williams, Curtis Jones and Salah named to the bench.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was also among the substitutes and appeared for the first time this season, replacing Firmino with 17 minutes to go.

First half

Klopp spoke of the importance of quick starts before the game and his team certainly delivered on that front.

Only 125 seconds had elapsed when Mane, deployed to the right of Liverpool’s three forwards, selflessly slapped Minamino, who bought space in a packed penalty area with a couple of quiet touches before burying an infallible low shot.

Palace reacted well to its initial deficit and Jordan Ayew blew a clear mid-half opening when he beat Fabinho on the inside channel, but played his subsequent cut behind Wilfried Zaha.

Set-piece opportunities followed at both ends, and Matip nodded at Andy Robertson’s corner before Alisson Becker held up Jeffrey Schlupp’s header.

But a moment of class from Mane would extend the Reds’ lead.

The number 10 spun as he picked up Firmino’s pass and launched an unstoppable drive to the bottom corner to register for the seventh straight game in the top flight against the Eagles.

And there was still time for Liverpool to add another before the break-up via a trademark, a sweeping counterattack.

Firmino played his part in the setup by extending the ball to Robertson, who duly returned the favor with a good pass that the Brazilian killed with his first touch before rolling a fresh shot over Vicente Guaita.

Second half

Liverpool simply picked up where they left off immediately after the restart and had scored their fourth in the 52nd minute.

Keita picked Trent Alexander-Arnold and the right back facilitated a muffled firing on the way for Henderson, who directed a precise 20-yard effort into the far top corner.

It was quickly five o’clock.

Salah, instead of Mane, ran to Alexander-Arnold’s pass from deep and put the ball in Firmino’s path. The first touch of the No.9 brought him to a sharp angle, but that mattered little, as it produced a delicate and delicious trimmed finish from his left boot.

That was Firmino’s final contribution when Klopp summoned Oxlade-Chamberlain for his first appearance in 2020-21, but Liverpool, and Salah, were far from done.

An instinctive header from the Egyptian made him six, before launching a wonderful shot into the top corner to bring his tally to 13 goals in 13 Premier League games this season.