The walking wounded of Liverpool return to Premier League action with glum faces as they prepare to take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday evening.
The Reds were demolished 5-2 by Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in midweek, while Patrick Vieira's men were cruelly pegged back in a 1-1 draw against Brentford.
Match preview
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Brentford were not able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat when Palace came to town last weekend, but the Bees denied Vieira's men their first win of 2023 in any competition right at the death at the Gtech Community Stadium.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, Eberechi Eze connected with Michael Olise's cross to head Palace in front with 69 minutes gone, but in the sixth minute of second-half injury time, Vitaly Janelt powered home a header of his own to force a share of the spoils.
Now winless in eight consecutive matches since the turn of the year, Palace are not quite sleepwalking towards danger - still 12th in the table with a healthy six-point lead over the drop zone - but they will continue to look over their shoulder while they remain in the rut.
Nevertheless, four draws from their last five has demonstrated a more resilient streak about the Eagles, whose only defeat in that time was a narrow loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, and they have also denied Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United from taking all three points recently.
Each of Palace's last three top-flight contests at Selhurst Park has ended in a draw, and not since October have Vieira's men won a home game in the top flight, but a vibrant atmosphere can be expected as the Eagles endeavour to prolong Liverpool's misery.
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Having witnessed Jurgen Klopp's side return to form in the Premier League with back-to-back wins over Everton and Newcastle United, optimism was rife around a raucous Anfield for a reunion with Champions League holders Real Madrid, and Liverpool fans may have been pinching themselves when Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah sent the Reds into a two-goal lead in the opening 15 minutes.
Unfortunately for those home supporters, that dream start would turn into a nightmare, as braces for Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema either side of Eder Militao's header condemned Liverpool to their worst-ever home defeat in Europe, and few are holding out hope of an unparalleled comeback at the Bernabeu three weeks from now.
Jurgen Klopp, of course, has refused to wave the white flag, but Carlo Ancelotti's champions carved Liverpool open at will and exposed the Reds' continued shortcomings in midfield and defence - ones that will not be solved during the course of a single summer transfer window.
Prior to their trip to the Spanish capital, Liverpool will seek to keep the pressure on the top four-chasing pack as they sit eighth in the table, but Tottenham Hotspur are only seven points better off having played two games more, and Klopp's men can rise into sixth should results go their way here.
However, victory at Newcastle marked just a third win from 11 Premier League away games for Liverpool this term - and even then the 10-man Magpies threatened constantly - and Palace ended a 10-game losing run against the Reds with a 1-1 draw at Anfield earlier this season.
Team News
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Crystal Palace lost left-back Tyrick Mitchell to an ankle knock towards the end of their draw with Brentford, but the issue is not a serious one, and the Englishman's place in the starting XI here is not thought to be under any threat.
Sam Johnstone remains out for the hosts, but Wilfried Zaha could potentially be involved after training with the team on Friday, while Nathan Ferguson, Joel Ward and James Tomkins could all be in contention to play too.
Eze's goal off the bench last weekend has given Vieira a selection dilemma, with Jeffrey Schlupp potentially at risk of the axe, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Arsenal loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga may also be fearing for their places.
As for Liverpool, Klopp managed to recover Nunez from a shoulder injury for the defeat to Real Madrid, where Thiago Alcantara, Calvin Ramsay, Luis Diaz, Arthur and Ibrahima Konate all missed out with their respective injury problems - the latter is now back in training, but he has only engaged in a couple of sessions and is unlikely to be involved.
The Reds did not pick up any serious concerns on Tuesday, but changes will certainly be considered following such a humiliating evening, with the fit-again Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino both pushing to return to the final third.
A first-leg disasterclass for Joe Gomez could see the England international cede his place at the back to Joel Matip too - especially after he appeared to suffer an issue late on - while Naby Keita and Harvey Elliott are candidates to freshen up the midfield.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Guaita; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Olise, Doucoure, Hughes, Eze; Ayew, Edouard
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Keita; Salah, Nunez, Jota
We say: Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool
Luckily for Liverpool, they will not be tackling a prolific Real Madrid side every week, and facing a Crystal Palace team who just cannot get over the line spells hope for an immediate return to winning ways.
Vieira's men have proven resilient against some revered teams recently, but with Zaha still not quite fully fit and the lack of an out-and-out goalscorer bedevilling them, we have faith in Liverpool to right the wrongs of Wednesday and extend their top-flight winning streak by the narrowest of margins.
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Ben Knapton
