Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points, thanks to Diogo Jota’s decisive goal in a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Reds manager Arne Slot, who has now won nine of his first 10 games since replacing Jurgen Klopp, expressed frustration after the Reds failed to secure a more comfortable result, allowing Palace to mount a late surge.
Despite the win, Liverpool suffered a setback as goalkeeper Alisson Becker limped off with an injury in the closing stages, raising concerns ahead of a tough run of fixtures after the international break.
“We should have finished it off with such a dominant performance,” said Slot. “If you score a second goal, you break them mentally. But because it stayed 1-0, the fans kept believing they could get something from the game.”
Palace, still winless and stuck in the relegation zone with just three points from seven games, gave Liverpool a scare but were unable to find the equalizer.
Liverpool took control early, with Jota prodding home Cody Gakpo’s low cross in the ninth minute. The Portuguese forward, however, squandered a golden chance to double the lead before halftime.
Palace briefly threatened at the end of the first half and continued to push in the second period, but Alisson made crucial saves to deny Eddie Nketiah and Eberechi Eze.
With 12 minutes remaining, Alisson was forced off due to a muscle injury, and third-choice goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros made his debut, holding firm to preserve Liverpool’s fifth clean sheet of the season.
The victory extends Liverpool’s cushion at the top, but Slot is cautious about upcoming fixtures, which include clashes with Chelsea, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Manchester City.
“It’s good we’ve won these games, but now we need to show ourselves in the big matches,” added Slot. “Unfortunately, Alisson will likely miss those games, judging by the way he left the pitch.”
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