Liverpool return to Anfield for their first game at home since the March defeat to Atletico Madrid.
The reds will be looking to increase their 20 point lead at the top of the Premier League and move to within one match of securing the Premier League title.
The visitors, Crystal Palace, have the best current form of any other side in the division - albeit over a time span stretching back to February. Palace have won each of their last four games and have propelled themselves to 9th in the division and just four points behind 5th place.
In the reverse fixture, back in November, Roberto Firmino delivered with an 85th minute goal to secure all three points in a tight 2-1 affair at Selhurst Park.
The reds opening game of the restarted Premier League, a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park, saw a lack of real goalscoring opportunities. Klopp will be hoping his players can get back in to their groove in tonight's clash.
As it happened...
Four other games kicked off at 6pm.
Man Utd v Sheffield Utd
Newcastle v Villa
Norwich v Everton
Wolves v Bournemouth
No fans at Anfield tonight, but Liverpool supporters groups have decked out the Kop grandstand with familiar flags and banners from matchdays.
The reds boss insists he is yet to see the stadium decorations:
“I am not surprised it is special. Of course I know, for plenty of reasons, we have very, very special supporters and I am very happy about that fact.
“We spoke this week to a few guys about a lot of things our supporters did during the lockdown with PPE, foodbanks and all of these things.
“Our fans are special, they are special, so hopefully they’ve had a nice idea for tonight – that would be cool.
Incredible. Unique. Scouse.
— Liverpool FC (at ????) (@LFC) June 24, 2020
Thanks to @SpionKop1906, @soccrinthecity and everyone who has helped ????
Tonight, the Kop's spirit lives on ✊ pic.twitter.com/wz97kB6aWl
The team news is in:
Changes, with both Milner and Matip out after picking up injuries at the weekend. In come Joe Gomez and Andy Robertson. Elsewhere Gini Wijnaldum and Mo Salah return to the side at the expense of Naby Keita and Minamino.
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Mane, Salah, Firmino.
Subs: Adrian, Lovren, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Origi, Jones, Elliott, Williams.
Merseyside's policing team keen to get out the message not to congregate at stadiums.
This is, of course, their social media account aimed at the red side of the city.
@LFC v @CPFC. Nothing won or lost at tonights match. Please stay at home to watch the football. Grab yourself a beer, Prosecco and a kebab. Keep hold of the reciepts and when Everton win the PL its on me! @spiritofshankly #stayathome
— MerPol Liverpool FC (@MerPolLFC) June 24, 2020
Roy Hodgson's team line up like this.
Hennessey, Cahill, Ward, van Aanholt, Sakho, Kouyaté, Townsend, Zaha, McArthur, McCarthy, Ayew
Teams out. Premier League theme rings out followed by You'll Never Walk Alone.
Eerie.
0' Underway at Anfield.
Liverpool kick off.
6' Liverpool stroking it around in the Palace half.
No penetration yet. Ball over the top but claimed by Hennessey.
8' Henderson cross headed back in by a Palace defender.
Salah miscues his header but it falls at Wijnaldum's feet. He gets that horribly wrong from a good position in the area.
10' Excellent work from Mane, crosses down the wing but Henderson volleys that well over the crossbar.
12' Zaha goes down but only momentarily. However, Max Meyer is being readied as a potential sub.
15' Max Meyer replaces Wilfried Zaha for the away side.
16' Mane backheel, its on to Bobby Firmino. But his shot doesn't have much power and is comfortably saved.
23' Quality free kick!
Trent Alexander-Arnold curls that free kick beautifully over the wall and into the net. 1-0 to the reds.
28' Another free kick from the reds. It's punched out by the keeper but only to Henderson who smashes it off the post.
32' Another free kick for the reds. Fabinho brought down. A little bit further out, maybe 25 yards out.
33' Fabinho takes that free kick and that goes over the crossbar.
37' VAR check on a potential handball by Gary Cahill but there was probably not much he could do about that. No penalty given.
And then a good chance for Wijnaldum inside the area, but he drags that shot wide. Liverpool must easily be on about 10 shots so far. Been a dominant performance but remains 1-0.
41' Hennessey is out to head a clearance outside the area. It goes straight to Salah who doesn't have much time to react and his volley goes wide of the empty net.
42' First opportunity for Palace. Poor control by Gomez near the half way line and Meyer runs forward with the ball before smashing it wide.
44' Lovely floated ball by Fabinho, chested down by Mo Salah and he drills that into the net. Superb stuff.
Starting to look comfortable.
2-0.
Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace
Much more like the reds we know. Totally dominant first half and fully deserving of at least the 2-0 lead so far.
Mo Salah's goal just before half time was Liverpool's 100th goal of the season (in all competitions). The third consecutive season they have reached that total.
Impressive.
We're back underway at Anfield. Liverpool kicking towards The Kop, decked out in flags and banners.
And Mo Salah almost scores straight from kick off - Robertson swinging it across and it's about a foot away from Salah sticking it in back post.
55' WHAT A HIT.
FABINHO booms that one into the back of the net - what a goal to hit in front of The Kop. From about 30 yards out - smash.
All Liverpool here. It has been all game to be fair.
63' Salah with the ball at his left foot - the lean back - but that one curls just wide of the goal.
64' Oxlade-Chamberlain on to replace Jordan Henderson. Van Dijk takes the armband.
66' Milivojevic and Riedewald on for Kouyate and James McArthur.
Was some goal that Fabinho.
U N S T O P P A B L E ????⚽️#LIVCRY pic.twitter.com/iFaIidGnii
— Liverpool FC (at ????) (@LFC) June 24, 2020
69' Liverpool putting on the style now. Mane to Firmino to Salah to Mane to the back of the net.
A well worked goal by the front three.
4-0.
74' Neco Williams comes on for his Premier League debut. He replaces Trent Alexander Arnold.
Takumi Minamino comes on for Bobby Firmino.
82' Liverpool still going for it here. They do not look remotely content with a 4-0 lead.
It's been a very strong performance against a decent Crystal Palace side.
Liverpool are about to move on to a stunning 86 points. Man City are 23 points behind and can only win a maximum of 24 points.
Any slip up tomorrow night by Man City and Liverpool will be crowned Premier League Champions.
84' Ayew replaced by Pierrick.
For Liverpool, Harvey Elliott and Naby Keita come on to replace Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson.
Liverpool 4-0 Crystal Palace
Brilliant performance from the reds. Brilliant goals. And Liverpool move to within 2 points of the title.
A 23rd consecutive Anfield victory in the Premier League.
We could well be Champions tomorrow night.
Liverpool 4-0 Crystal Palace
Brilliant performance from the reds. Brilliant goals. And Liverpool move to within 2 points of the title.
A 23rd consecutive Anfield victory in the Premier League.
We could well be Champions tomorrow night.
Sky Sports saying that it's the first time since 2008 that a team didn't have a touch of the ball in the opposition box. That team tonight being Crystal Palace.
Klopp delighted:
'Wow. Imagine if the stadium was full and the fans could have all seen that live. I don't think the boys would have played better because they were already pushing themselves so hard.
'It was exceptional.
'The attitude the boys showed was amazing. I liked it a lot. The free kick from Trent helped us to feel more free. We tried hard to tell the boys how good the Everton game was apart from the last third. Nobody wants to hear that but it was important for me to tell the boys.
'We have big expectations, really massive. Today was a reaction. I liked it a lot. 87th minute, 4-0 up, and we're chasing the ball as if its the only one in the world.
