Liverpool's dramatic win: how an early goal and late-game twists secured the top spot

Diogo Jota scored an early goal as Liverpool earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park for his 100th Reds start, extending the impressive run of Arne Slot's team into the top of the Premier League in the 2024-25 season.

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Liverpool's immediate control and Diogo Jota's goal

Nine minutes in, Jota was set to capitalize on an intelligently worked play, sending his shot across the bottom left corner to give Liverpool a lead that would prove decisive. It was another goal produced by the rapid, exacting finish from the Portuguese forward. That spoke volumes about how attentive and prepared Slot's squad was. The team was hungrier to get the win, while Crystal Palace already felt like the game weighed it down well before they could even manage to get themselves organized.

But what was even more striking was how Liverpool then controlled the game after that goal: the attempts from Palace to answer back were well-controlled at all times by a Reds' defense supported by an inspired performance from Alisson Becker.

Palace pushes, but Liverpool holds firm

Crystal Palace didn't back off even when leading. A goal by Eddie Nketiah, which might have given an utterly different complexion to the outcome, was called offside at the beginning of the match. The home side pressed Liverpool but ended running into the well-organized defense orchestrated by Slot. A battery of chances by the Eagles in the last quarter didn't help break open the Reds' defensive wall.

As the game wore on, Liverpool's early dominance slowly crept away, allowing Palace to grow into the match. However, even at moments when it seemed the home side would draw themselves level, Liverpool remained composed. Alisson made two crucial saves before picking up an injury and, out of nowhere, on came debutant Vitezslav Jaros, who stepped in with confidence as Liverpool's lead remained intact.

Arne Slot: The secret behind Liverpool's success

By the end of the match, head coach Arne Slot shared his thoughts on this historic moment he goes through at Liverpool, being the first manager in history to win nine of his first ten games. Of course, he was proud, but humbly so: Slot was ready to speak of the heritage he stepped into and the team he found.

"It's definitely very satisfying. And it's actually quite special if you know how many great coaches Liverpool has had," Slot said. But he was quick to point out that the attention shouldn't be placed on him, adding, "I hope they don't remember me in one, two, three, four, five years just for that. We hope to do more special things than that."