- Crystal Palace have beaten Liverpool twice this season and are on a roll
- Liverpool have lost three of their last five games in all competitions
Eagles can make Liverpool feel uncomfortable
Crystal Palace’s recent rise under Oliver Glasner can be seen as an extension of the new found confidence of English football in general. Palace are enjoying the feel-good factor of the Premier League’s resurgence and currently sit in the top half of the table with 12 - 13 points from 6 matches.
They are on a five-match unbeaten streak in competitive games that includes a 3-3 draw with Bournemouth, a 2-0 Europa Conference League win over Dynamo Kyiv and a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in September’s Premier League clash, which forms part of our Liverpool vs Crystal Palace prediction for this encounter.
Glasner has turned the Eagles into a disciplined, defensive unit capable of counter-attacking with pace and numbers. He has instilled a mean streak and a set-piece threat to his side that is evident in the fact that they lifted the Community Shield on penalties from Liverpool after a 2-2 tie at Wembley.
Glasner’s Palace have Liverpool’s number
Ismaïla Sarr gives them an explosive pace out wide on the counter-attack and the capability to change the game with a piece of brilliance as he did when scoring Palace’s first goal in their Selhurst Park win over Liverpool. This Liverpool vs Crystal Palace preview highlights that they will come at this game with a good record against Liverpool and no fear.
Injuries to Isak and Frimpong will not help the Reds, although Gakpo is proving a reliable back-up. He has been in the right place at the right time to score some vital goals this term and could rotate with Gakpo in Slot’s fluid frontline.
The Dutchman looks to have got the best of Liverpool’s squad in Europe at least, with his quick-fire changes making the difference in their 5-1 rout of Frankfurt in the Champions League. But the results in the league have been a little patchy with the Merseyside club sitting top on 15 points from 6 matches, but our Liverpool vs Crystal Palace prediction is influenced by their coming into the Palace game on the back of three defeats in five.
Slot’s side have plenty of big-game players
That 3-1 defeat at Brentford was a shock, but losses to Manchester United and Chelsea have also dented the optimism of Slot’s summer appointment. This Liverpool vs Crystal Palace prediction considers that Palace have his number and will be as motivated for this Carabao Cup tie as the home team, who are 1.56 favorites compared to the 5.0 outsider status of the visitors.
Palace will get on the ball more than normal in this tie and have the ability to make it a chess match that Slot’s Liverpool are used to playing - patient build-up, positional overloads and trigger-based pressing. Glasner’s style is more pragmatic, but the Liverpool vs Crystal Palace betting tips suggest he has already delivered silverware and will take his current momentum into this cup game.
Glasner’s team are a counter-attacking unit with a compact structure in defence and explosive wing-backs, which makes them dangerous on the break and at set pieces. In Mateta, who scored a hat-trick against Bournemouth, Glasner has a big, strong, powerful player who can take out a defender and finish with a clinical touch.
Mo Salah is the X-factor for Liverpool
In Eddie Nketiah, Palace could have another player capable of making the big play - such as his 97th-minute winner against Liverpool. The Liverpool vs Crystal Palace prediction also notes that Slot has a real X-factor of his own in Mo Salah, who can always deliver the goods in big games.
The Anfield pitch was slick for Palace’s visit, which suited them as they prefer direct play and rapid counters. With the potential for some showers ahead of the clash, Palace’s direct style and set-piece abilities should give Liverpool plenty to deal with in this cup contest that has the chance of going the distance.
Over 2.5 goals at 1.55 is our main bet because of the nature of these two teams and the confidence Palace are playing with right now. Liverpool have the talent and squad to win the shootout, but back the Palace to give it a go and possibly cause an upset.
