Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace: Is Arne Slot's future now secure with top-five finish?

Ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, Sports Mole's experts discussed what the match means for both sides, and whether Liverpool's title-winning manager Arne Slot remains under pressure with a top-five spot now almost secure.

Ben Knapton, site coordinator

Liverpool have been on the receiving end of so many 90th-minute goals against them, but they've now scored six 90th-minute winners against Everton in the Premier League, the most any team has scored against another in Premier League history.

As a Liverpool fan, you just couldn't write it. It's a cliché, but you couldn't really write it: winning it with a brilliant Van Dijk header right at the end.

Obviously there is a big concern coming into this Palace game, though - not just the head-to-head against Palace, of course, having beaten them in the EFL Cup, Community Shield, and Premier League in the last 12 months.

Their poor head-to-head record aside, Ismaila Sarr loves a goal against Liverpool, so I think you should place a bet on that right away!

If he starts, of course, this weekend, and it'll be against Freddie Woodman in goal. It doesn't look like Alisson is going to be back for this one, Mamardashvili got that deep wound to the knee in the process of trying to stop Beto's goal last weekend.

Reports are saying he could be out for between two and four weeks, so we'll see if Alisson is back for the Man United fixture. It could be Freddie Woodman in goal again.

But of course, when he came on in the derby, he didn't have a whole lot to do, but what he did do he did well, he did it professionally. So I don't think there are any huge concerns, either inside or outside of Anfield, about Woodman being in goal this weekend.

The ironic thing is he made his full debut for Liverpool in the EFL Cup loss to Palace in October. But that was a game where Slot's team selection was just... he was clearly sacking off the League Cup. It was a proper second-string selection from Slot back then.

But of course, Liverpool now have that breathing space in the top-five race. It feels like the pressure has eased ever so slightly on Slot.

Not hugely - I think a lot of fans would still be happy to see the back of him - but the manner of that derby win, and a good win against Fulham the previous weekend, has just eased it ever so slightly.

And if they can secure that top five, the board have a massive decision to make, but things are looking slightly rosier right now for Liverpool.

We've spoken before about the changes Palace made for that West Ham game, off the back of their inconsequential loss to Fiorentina. They might well have one eye on that Shakhtar semi-final coming up.

The big concern for Palace this weekend is whether Adam Wharton will feature. He's been struggling with an adductor issue ever since he left the England camp.

If he does play, it could be a potential audition for a move to Anfield this summer. Of course, you'd expect Liverpool to make at least one big midfield signing this summer, whether that is Adam Wharton or someone like Elliot Anderson, that remains to be seen.

But even though they haven't got much to fight for in the Premier League, Palace are unbeaten in four now in the league.

Finishing with a flourish is maybe a bit too far-fetched to say, but if they can push for that top-half place and win the Conference League, then Glasner is really leaving on a high.

Matt Law, Football Editor

It's obviously been a poor season for Liverpool, but if Liverpool were sitting ninth or 10th in the league, six or seven points off the top five, it's a different conversation, isn't it? I think that's the point.

Taking it back to when United lost Ferguson, everyone seemed to think that the gripe was that United weren't winning league title after league title. No, it wasn't that.

You can't go from first to 14th, 15th, seventh, eighth. If you're going to have a bad season, like you've said, just make sure you're finishing in the top four or five, depending on what brings Champions League.

I think you'd probably keep Slot, but what would be interesting is if next season you were to start badly, it would obviously give the owners a bit of a decision to make.

Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter

I think Slot's still a decent manager. People have got to give him credit for what he did in the first season, and if they do get Champions League football, then fair play to them.

I think if someone like Xabi Alonso came in, he would probably be equally as good a manager - maybe a slightly different style of football.

But in terms of challenging for the title next season, that'll be the aim whoever comes in as Liverpool manager, so I think the main thing for Slot now is to get Champions League football, and it looks like they will do.

Getting a win against Crystal Palace now would possibly cement that as well.