What Liverpool coach did after Palace win speaks volumes as transfer point made

Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park to make in nine wins out of 10 games under Arne Slot

What Liverpool coach did after Crystal Palace win speaks volumes as transfer point made

Bookmark

It had been the one area of the team that remained untouched by Arne Slot during the Premier League season.

But the midfield that formed the foundation of Liverpool’s run to the summit was finally given a tweak here, with Curtis Jones making his first Premier League start since the defeat at Everton back in April, replacing Dominik Szoboszlai in the number 10 role.

Come the start of the second half, however, both were on the pitch after Alexis Mac Allister departed following an injury-hampered opening period.

A first examination of the engine room strength in depth Liverpool will require if they are to challenge on several fronts, it was a success, Jones confident in both positions while Wataru Endo’s canny and experienced cameo during the closing stages suggests he still very much has a part to play for Liverpool this campaign.

The midfield standout once again, however, was Ryan Gravenberch, particularly during a first half in which his growing range of abilities were to the fore.

He overshadowed Palace rival Adam Wharton, whose signing had been advocated by some after the deal for Martin Zubimendi fell through. Wharton, still only 20, remains a novice in Premier League term and will only improve, but Slot’s decision to stick with Gravenberch continues to be wholly justified.

Joy for Jaros

The final whistle prompted an explosion of delight and relief from the travelling Kop. But as the visiting fans celebrated, the bench made a beeline for Vitezslav Jaros.

First the Czechia international was given a huge hug and a slap on the back from goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte. Then came a friendly shake from Jarell Quansah, before fellow substitutes Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley arrived to further congratulate the keeper.

Certainly, barely 24 hours earlier the 23-year-old couldn’t have expected to have been helping the Reds maintain a sixth clean sheet in 10 games this season.

But after Alisson Becker pulled up lame and with second-choice Caoimhin Kelleher absent through illness, the fates pressed Jaros into a first Liverpool senior appearance with 11 minutes of regulation time remaining.

There was a nervy early moment when a weak attempted punch almost landed at a Palace player inside the area. But Jaros soon settled and contributed to the win with a solid save from Eberechi Eze.

Having helped Sturm Graz win the Austrian league and cup double during a loan spell in the second half of last season, earning him a first national team cap and a place in Czechia’s Euro 2024 squad, Jaros wasn’t exactly a rookie at the cutting edge.

And it was a further reminder of why Liverpool were right to keep hold of both Kelleher and Jaros. With Alisson’s hamstrings now becoming a cause for concern, every Reds goalkeeper is going to be needed.

Slot test approaching

It will be some time before the Jurgen Klopp era no longer acts as a constant barometer.

But with each positive result, so Arne Slot is gradually ensuring his predecessor becomes a happy memory rather than casting a shadow over his tenure.

And here the current Liverpool head coach was able to build on Klopp’s remarkable Selhurst Park record – the German having won 25 points from a possible 27 – and extend his own most successful start for a Reds boss to nine wins in 10 games.

Slot once again later name-checked the inheritance he was bestowed by Klopp, always willing to give credit when required.

Nobody, though, could have anticipated the tune he has got from the same players so far this campaign.

But Slot knows the litmus test is now approaching, first having to cope with the fallout from another international break and then a run of seven games in 21 days that, while not quite defining the season, will most definitely shape it for the following few months.

Story Saved
You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.