Wirtz highlights Reds clinical nature
Liverpool attacking midfielder Wirtz was in a buoyant mood following his side's professional performance at Selhurst Park, where the Reds bounced back from consecutive defeats against Fenerbahce in the Champions League and Arsenal in the Premier League to navigate a tricky away fixture with impressive composure.
The German playmaker noted that while the game may not have been a constant barrage of chances, Liverpool made sure to take their opportunities when they arrived in the final third. 'It was a good game from us, really happy about the win and that's all that counts. We were efficient in front of the goal. We didn't have so many big chances... well, maybe we did, I don't know, but it felt like we didn't so scoring three goals is always good. We defended quite well so a good team performance,' Wirtz explained during his post-match assessment.
Crucial timing at Selhurst Park
Liverpool made Palace pay for their missed opportunities at Selhurst Park, with Alexis Mac Allister breaking the deadlock in the 40th minute via a fine header from a neat free-kick routine. Wirtz doubled the lead 14 minutes into the second half after being set up by Bradley Barcola, before Alexander Isak added a third late on with his seventh league goal of the season, leaving Eddie Nketiah's stoppage-time penalty following a Milos Kerkez foul as a mere consolation for the hosts.
Wirtz acknowledged how pivotal that first goal was in shifting the psychological balance of the contest. 'It was really important, also with their disallowed goal. It was good momentum for us going into the break. It made the game a bit easier or more open for us. It was a good moment to score,' he remarked.
Tactical instructions pay dividends
Thanks to today's victory, Liverpool have now earned 13 points away from home in the Premier League this season - more than any other side in the division. The impressive tally also represents the Reds' joint-most points ever collected from their opening five away matches of a league campaign.
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'It was a great pass to Bradley [Barcola], into the space. The manager was talking so much to us to arrive into the box and I think we had three players in there. Luckily the ball came to me and I could score,' Wirtz said of his goal.
Palace struggles and Liverpool confidence
While Liverpool celebrate, the situation at Crystal Palace is becoming increasingly dire for head coach Pierre Sage. The defeat was Palace's fourth in a row in the Premier League, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table. With only seven points from a possible 30 since taking over from Oliver Glasner, Sage is facing immense scrutiny.
For Liverpool, the victory reinforces their belief that they can challenge anyone on the road, regardless of the atmosphere. Wirtz concluded by touching upon the team's mindset when traveling away from Anfield. 'We are always confident because we know what a team we have and what quality we have. It doesn't matter if it's away from home but, for sure, we need to get more players in the home games,' he stated.