Liverpool back on track after beating Palace

LONDON: Florian Wirtz bagged his first Premier League goal this season as Liverpool got back on track with a 3-1 win against lowly Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Andoni Iraola's side erased the bitter taste of successive losses to Arsenal and Fenerbahce with a comfortable victory at Selhurst Park.

Alexis Mac Allister put Liverpool ahead late in the first half before Wirtz, whose last league goal came against the same opponents in April, doubled the Reds' advantage nine minutes into the second half.

Alexander Isak netted Liverpool's third in the 89th minute before Eddie Nketiah scored a stoppage-time penalty for bottom of the table Palace.

Liverpool are up to fourth place after their fourth away league win this season.

It was a much-needed success for Iraola, who had started to hear some awkward questions about Liverpool's inconsistent run in his first season in charge after arriving from Bournemouth to replace the sacked Arne Slot.

"It is now more or less one quarter of the season. It's clear we still have room to improve. We need to become a better team," Iraola said.

"But I think now, especially away from home, we have been very, very solid. You see yourself in a better place, but we know we still need to improve."

Yeremy Pino went agonisingly close to opening the scoring for Palace in the 18th minute when he curled against the bar.

Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen had the ball in the back of Alisson Becker's net in the 33rd minute.

But his celebrations were cut short by the offside flag and a subsequent VAR check.

Mac Allister made Palace pay for those misses in the 40th minute, nodding home a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick in clinical fashion.

Wirtz increased Liverpool's advantage in the 54th minute, guiding a low Bradley Barcola cross into the bottom corner.

Palace had a huge chance with just under 15 minutes remaining when Pino was denied by Alisson, who then saved from Jefferson Lerma before Nketiah lashed over.

Sweden striker Isak put the result beyond doubt in the 89th minute with a deflected close-range strike.

Palace earned a penalty after Dario Osorio clashed heads with Milos Kerkez but Nketiah's goal was no consolation for under-fire Eagles boss Pierre Sage.

"It's not from the dream to the nightmare," said Sage, when reminded of his long-held ambition to manage in the English top-flight.

"I'm not feeling this. I'm just in my job, and focusing on my job, and what I have to do to find the solution.

"I was really happy to sign here, to join this club. Especially for the moment, the results are not at this level."

Asked if he expected to be in charge after the international break, Sage added: "Better than you, I think."--AFP