Meanwhile, discontent looms over Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace suffered a similar fate, losing 2-0 to Bournemouth.
Christmas cheer is scarce for Palace, with fans booing the team and an unfortunate incident where a bottle was allegedly thrown at veteran coach Roy Hodgson after the disappointing home defeat.
The recent woes have left Palace with just one point from their last four Premier League matches, and despite usually comfortably residing in mid-table, they find themselves in 14th place, perilously close to the danger zone. Injuries have plagued the team, and speculation about Hodgson's future intensifies, especially with Steve Cooper reportedly being considered as his successor.
Hodgson, for now, must focus on training ground preparations as Palace aims to break a five-game winless streak at Selhurst Park, where their last three matches have ended in defeat. However, the home crowd may approach Saturday's game with hope rather than expectation.
On the other side, Liverpool, fresh off a routine win over Sheffield United, seeks a fourth consecutive victory in all competitions. The Reds aim to secure another three points at Selhurst Park, potentially propelling them to the top of the league, at least temporarily, as they await Arsenal's response later in the day against Aston Villa.
The last time Liverpool faced Palace, they secured a clean sheet, marking their first Premier League away clean sheet of the season. However, Palace has a history of resilience against Liverpool, holding them to a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park and a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the previous encounters. As Jurgen Klopp's side eyes the summit, a challenging match against Palace awaits, with the potential for a shift in the league standings.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Crystal Palace is facing additional challenges on the injury front, with left-back Tyrick Mitchell joining the medical bay after sustaining a muscular strain during his brief 29-minute appearance against Bournemouth. Unfortunately, this setback is likely to rule him out of the upcoming Saturday game.Before the loss to Bournemouth, Crystal Palace received disheartening news about midfielder Cheick Doucoure, who is now confirmed to have ruptured his Achilles tendon.
This unfortunate injury puts him at risk of missing the remainder of the season. Other players currently in the treatment room include Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh), Rob Holding (ankle), Dean Henderson (thigh), and Eberechi Eze (ankle). Nathaniel Clyne is expected to step in to fill Mitchell's position.
Turning to Liverpool, they are dealing with their own set of injury concerns. Alexis Mac Allister suffered a knee injury during the win over Sheffield United, playing through the first half before succumbing to the injury just before the hour mark. Additionally, Joel Matip's season was cut short due to an ACL tear, and players like Alisson Becker (thigh), Diogo Jota (muscle), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip), and Andrew Robertson (shoulder) are still unavailable.
With Mac Allister likely to miss the upcoming game, Ryan Gravenberch is expected to step in, providing a direct replacement in the midfield. This adjustment allows Wataru Endo to continue in the number six role for Liverpool.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Clyne; Richards, Lerma; Olise, Hughes, Ayew; Edouard
Liverpool possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Endo, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
EXPERT PREDICTION
Crystal Palace 0-3 Liverpool
On the other hand, Crystal Palace faces a more challenging situation as the absence of Doucoure and Eze is seen as particularly difficult to fill with like-for-like replacements.
Crystal Palace, under the management of Hodgson, will be facing considerable pressure to deliver a solid performance this weekend. Despite this, even if they manage to respond adequately to Wednesday's defeat, it may not be sufficient to prevent Liverpool from claiming the top spot in the rankings. The task ahead for Crystal Palace appears daunting, especially given the caliber of their opponents.
