Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
With the rest of the top four decamping at Wembley this weekend it gives Liverpool the perfect opportunity to solidify their top four spot and increase their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season, to do that though they are going to have to get the better of an in form Crystal Palace side who make the long trip to Anfield.
Liverpool have been steadily going about their business as of late as they are unbeaten in their last seven league encounters but they have had to do so because the two Manchester clubs below them are not allowing them any slip ups.
If Liverpool win their last five matches including this one then they are guaranteed a top four finish, that is because of the Manchester Derby which takes place on Thursday. With City and United going head to head it means they will take points off each other and they therefore cannot both exceed Liverpool’s projected maximum of 81 points.
So a return to the Champions League is very much in the hands of Liverpool, they now need to make sure they do not let it slip through their fingers. The run in that Jurgen Klopp’s men have between now and the end of the season means it is a very realistic possibility with five very winnable games.
Of course nothing is a foregone conclusion but with a run in of Crystal Palace, Watford, Southampton, West Ham and Middlesbrough they will very much fancy their chances of picking up the maximum point haul required to achieve a top four finish at the end of the season.
They have won their last two games on the road without both Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane. Lallana once again misses out with this game coming around too soon for him to return, while Mane of course is out for the remainder of the season after picking up an injury in the Merseyside Derby.
With neither of the two star players available it has been left to the supporting cast to step up to the mark and Roberto Firmino is the man they have relied in their wins over both Stoke and West Brom. The Brazilian international has scored the winner on both occasions and will look to cause Crystal Palace trouble later this afternoon.
Crystal Palace travel here without their newly found defensive lynchpin Mamadou Sahko as he of course his still registered to his parent club. That in itself will be a big blow to Sam Allardyce as it is no small coincidence that the arrival of Sahko has coincided with Palace’s positive swing of results.
It’s just one defeat in the last seven for Palace as they edge further from the dropzone. They started the weekend in 15th (at the time of writing) but should Bournemouth pick up an expected win over Middlesbrough then they will go into this game in 16th.
That means they will just be looking over their shoulder slightly especially if Hull and Swansea also pick up positive results from their Saturday fixtures. Palace are five points from perceived safety, that of course being the 40 point marker that we all consider good enough to stay up.
Last weekend they earned a crucial point in a bid to beat the drop as they came from 2-0 down to end up sharing the points with Leicester at Selhurst Park. That result showed the hunger that is currently surrounding the Palace camp as had that been in early in the season then they would not be clawing themselves back into the game.
It may have only been a point but when you take that point in isolation it is all the more important as Hull and Swansea both lost. It’s not necessarily what you do but just making sure you get more points than the teams around you and that is exactly what they did.
Can they add more points to the board this afternoon. I think the absence of Sahko is going to be a massive blow for them and although Liverpool are not at full strength I think they will be able to exploit the defensive weakness that will be on offer. A home win and one step closer to the top four for Liverpool.
