In a game that the visitors dogged defensive display frustrated the Reds it was a scrappy goal in he 72nd minute that finally broke the deadlock when the Eagles failed clear and it was Mane who was quickest to react. Visiting goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was the Eagles most important player as he made multiple important saves to deny Liverpool adding further to the scoreline including four minutes before half time when Roberto Firmino stung his hands with an angled strike from outside the area. The Eagles shot-stopper again saved well but thought he hadn’t done enough when Firmino followed up to convert the rebound nine minutes after the break however the flag had been raised for offside. Joel Matip had the best chance of the first half when he somehow managed to head wide from close range after Andrew Robertson had supplied Matip with a delightful ball in. Crystal Palace did have a couple of moments of note including when former Liverpool man Christian Benteke blazed over from eight yards out after Ruben Loftus-Cheek had put the cross in. Mohamed Salah had a great opportunity to double the hosts lead in the final ten minutes but his header was kept out by a busy Hennessey. Crystal Palace had won their last three league encounters at Anfield and made life difficult for Liverpool but the Reds, who sometimes struggled in attack with an absent Philippe Coutinho, did enough to seal victory in their first home game of the Premier League season.
