Liverpool Maintain Strong Lead With Victory Over Crystal Palace

One goal each from Senegal international, Sadio Mane and Brazilian Firmino helped Liverpool see off a strong challenge from Crystal Palace.

Manager Jurgen Klopp says he has “no problem that Liverpool weren’t brilliant” during their hard-fought win at Crystal Palace.

Roberto Firmino scored the winner five minutes from time as the Reds maintained their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

The Brazil striker poked in from a corner to restore his side’s lead three minutes after it looked as if Wilfried Zaha had rescued a point for the Eagles.

Zaha’s 82nd-minute goal was his first of the season and cancelled out Sadio Mane’s 10th goal of the campaign just after half-time.

But the Palace winger also wasted a great chance late on to score a second equaliser when he blazed over from close range.

Klopp said: “We know it’s a tough place to come to and we weren’t compact enough in the first half. In a game like this you have to make sure you are ready to fight for the result.

“We are not out there to show that we invented football, because we didn’t. We have a job to do and hopefully we can continue.”

Liverpool, who rested Mohamed Salah, have now gone 30 games unbeaten in the Premier League and have dropped only two points in the league all season.

But they were also helped when Palace defender James Tomkins had a goal ruled out in first-half stoppage time by the video assistant referee after Jordan Ayew was adjudged to have fouled Dejan Lovren.