Following an incredible Champions League evening, Liverpool will make their Premier League comeback on Saturday afternoon when they take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the midday start.
Midweek, the Reds overcame several scares to overcome Bologna 2-0, while Everton's first Premier League defeat of the season came against the helpless Eagles their previous game.
Only time will tell if Arne Slot can ever attain the Merseyside renown of Bob Paisley, Bill Shankly, and Jurgen Klopp, but the Dutchman has already accomplished something that none of his Reds predecessors have been able to do.
By orchestrating a 2-0 victory over Bologna on Wednesday evening, where Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah found the back of the net on either side of half-time, Slot became the first Liverpool manager in history to win eight of his first nine matches in charge across all competitions.
The former Feyenoord manager acknowledged that Liverpool faced a determined Bologna side and had a similar challenge in last weekend's Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, a 2-1 win was enough to propel the Reds to the top of the table.
A win in Saturday's early kick-off would extend Liverpool’s lead to four points over both Arsenal and Manchester City, temporarily securing first place. Slot’s team is riding a five-match winning streak, scoring 15 goals with an average of three per game.
The last time Liverpool won their opening four away games in a Premier League season was in their title-winning 2019-20 campaign. Slot could now join an elite group of managers—Felipe Scolari, John Gregory, and Bobby Gould—who have won their first four away matches in the competition.
Speaking of managers that made a fantastic impression upon their arrival in the Premier League, Crystal Palace were a club reinvigorated under the wing of Europa League-winning coach Oliver Glasner last season, but the Eagles have apparently had their wings cut during the summer.
When Palace traveled to Everton last weekend, it seemed like a great chance to start the new season off right. Marc Guehi's opener in the tenth minute put Glasner's team in the lead, but a resolute Dwight McNeil quickly turned the tide with a brace in the second half.
Despite Crystal Palace's current position near the bottom of the Premier League table—sitting in 18th place, behind Leicester City on goal difference—Glasner's job is not considered to be under immediate threat. This is largely due to the goodwill he earned from last season and victories over Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers in the EFL Cup.
However, history does not favor Palace, as they have only gone winless in their first seven Premier League games on four occasions. In three of those seasons, including 2004-05, they were relegated from the top division.
The only glimmer of hope for Palace supporters might be their surprising 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield in April's Premier League clash. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that Liverpool has not lost a Premier League match at Selhurst Park in nearly a decade, with their last defeat there being a 3-1 loss in November 2014.
Despite Crystal Palace's current position near the bottom of the Premier League table—sitting in 18th place, behind Leicester City on goal difference—Glasner's job is not considered to be under immediate threat. This is largely due to the goodwill he earned from last season and victories over Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers in the EFL Cup.
However, history does not favor Palace, as they have only gone winless in their first seven Premier League games on four occasions. In three of those seasons, including 2004-05, they were relegated from the top division.
The only glimmer of hope for Palace supporters might be their surprising 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield in April's Premier League clash. Nevertheless, it's worth noting that Liverpool has not lost a Premier League match at Selhurst Park in nearly a decade, with their last defeat there being a 3-1 loss in November 2014.
