Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
On Saturday, the league leaders and one of the teams that have won both their Champions League matches will visit Selhurst Park. Crystal Palace face a tough challenge against the first Merseyside club, having recently fallen to the second.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace were defeated by Everton (2:1), although based on the first half, the Londoners deserved at least a draw. They took the lead in the 10th minute through Marc Guéhi's quick thinking in a chaos near the goal. Crystal Palace created several more clear chances but failed to convert. On the other hand, the few opportunities they allowed Everton to have resulted in goals. Dwight McNeil's two precise strikes within seven minutes early in the second half dampened the spirits of Crystal Palace's players. They can't always rely on luck as they did against Chelsea (xGA 2.37) and Manchester United (xGA 1.70).
Liverpool
Liverpool do not afford themselves such luxury. Only once have their efforts failed to yield results. Nottingham Forest managed to keep a clean sheet against an xGA of 0.95. In other instances, even if that indicator exceeded the actual goals scored, the outcome still ended in success. Thus, it will be difficult to stop the winning momentum of Liverpool, which recently included a victory over AC Milan. Crystal Palace have yet to correct their inaccuracy, with only 29% of their shots on target, compared to their upcoming opponent's 44%.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool Prediction
In their last four encounters with Liverpool, the Londoners have managed to score only three goals. The Merseyside team, too, has netted the same number of goals. There is balance overall: one win each and two draws, but in last season's game in London, Liverpool secured a win (2:1). The match against Bologna on Wednesday might have drained some of their energy, so we propose a cautious bet on the visitors, who might conserve their strength and could let a win slip away.
