Liverpool vs Crystal Palace Betting Tips (23/05/21) – One Final Hurdle Left in Reds’ Race for the Finish Line

Jurgen Klopp described Wednesday’s game against Burnley as a ‘semi final’, and he watched on with relish as his Liverpool players set up a fitting finale to the campaign with a 3-0 victory.

It was a game that was tighter than the scoreline suggests, and Burnley – with Chris Wood providing a powerful presence up front – created plenty of problems for the Reds.

The manner in which Liverpool celebrated their goals suggested it was a relief each time the ball hit the net, and particularly so given the number of gilt-edged chances they missed early on.

Mo Salah, Bobby Firmino and Thiago perhaps should have done better when well placed, and the Clarets began to attack more it was becoming increasingly fraught for Klopp’s men.

However, a moment of inspiration just before half time – Andy Robertson breaking free down the left and crossing for Firmino to tap home a much-needed opener.

The Clarets seemed to run out of steam in the second period, and as their pressing began to lose its intensity Liverpool would find more room in their half of the pitch – a situation they would take advantage of with devastating effect.

A period of sustained pressure eventually led to a corner for the Reds, and when that set piece broke down Sadio Mane swept in a cross for Nat Phillips, still in the Burnley box from the corner, to nod home his first goal for the club.

That seemed to knock the stuffing out of Sean Dyche’s men, and despite occasionally threatening on the break the game became something of a training exercise for Liverpool – much to Klopp’s delight.

Towards the end, substitute Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain served a reminder of his qualities, wriggling free in the area and firing a low shot into the corner of the net to confirm the 3-0 margin of victory.

Klopp was understandably delighted after the game. “Today was a semi-final,” he said. “We had to win the semi-final and we did. Nothing is decided yet, but we improved our position and we have the final.”

That final will come against Crystal Palace on Sunday. The Eagles boss – and former Liverpool manager – Roy Hodgson will take charge of what will possibly be his final game ever in the dugout, and some 10,000 fans will be on hand in Anfield to give him a deserved send-off.

They will just be hoping he doesn’t poop the party on his Merseyside return….

Liverpool Team News

Klopp spoke of wrapping his players in cotton wool after the Burnley game in the hope that all recover in time for Palace on Sunday.

There didn’t appear to be any issues on Wednesday, and any substitutions the manager made appeared to be tactical rather than out of necessity.

In a surprise twist, it has been suggested that Diogo Jota – previously ruled out for the season – could yet be available in some capacity against the Eagles. “Diogo, when the swelling went down, it looked better than in the first place with the first scan,” Klopp said when quizzed about the Portuguese’s foot injury. “You could see it better. There is a tiny, tiny little chance for the weekend, but it depends how it improves now.”

It seems unlikely that he would be risked from the start on Sunday, and with Firmino finding a little bit of form lately he will surely lead the line with his usual lieutenants either side of him.

Otherwise, we’re expecting an unchanged team as Liverpool look to secure what looked at one stage t be the unlikeliest of top-four finishes.

Crystal Palace Form

It’s fair to say that 2021 has been a mixed bag for Crystal Palace.

In that time, they have failed to win in 14 of the 21 Premier League games they have played, with five defeats in their last seven outings.

The Eagles have kept just one clean sheet since March, and have shipped 16 goals in their last seven games as Hodgson’s victory lap turns sour.

To make matters worse, Eberechi Eze has picked up a serious Achilles injury and won’t feature for quite some time.

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace Betting Tips

On any other day, we’d be backing Liverpool to win this game at a canter – why wouldn’t you based on the respective formlines of the teams?

The bookmakers tend to agree, with the Reds as short as 1/7 with some, and while it’s hard to argue with such pricing it’s not as if we’re going to pile in at those odds.

What’s most revealing is how many goals Palace have conceded of late, and that is very much not the modus operandi of Hodgson – that suggests a deeper problem.

And so backing Liverpool with a -1 goal handicap, cheered on as they will be by a considerable crowd in Anfield, has to be the selection – double that up with Over 2.5 Goals using a bet builder tool for an 8/13 pick.