Isak goal helps Liverpool to routine win against Palace and close in on Champions League
Arne Slot's team had suffered defeats against Crystal Palace three times already this season, yet they began the match displaying a level of assurance that disregarded this poor history.
The Liverpool players believed they had won a penalty during the middle of the opening period, following a pass from Florian Wirtz to Mohamed Salah, who was brought down by Brennan Johnson's desperate tackle.
Nevertheless, a VAR review correctly spared the Eagles, as the Welsh player was ruled to have made enough contact with the ball. Still, the opening goal appeared imminent, and Alexander Isak eventually provided it by controlling a wayward shot from Alexis Mac Allister and guiding it past Dean Henderson.
Crystal Palace responded with energy, and Jean-Philippe Mateta challenged Freddie Woodman at the front post following a careless loss of possession by Liverpool. Off the ensuing set piece, the shot stopper produced an even finer stop, on this occasion blocking Maxence Lacroix.
Moreover, the backup goalkeeper quickly earned chants from the Kop, as the Reds netted during the counterattack that followed, a smooth sequence involving Wirtz and Curtis Jones assisting Andy Robertson for a potential final strike in his time at the club.
Isak came close to scoring again soon after the interval, although Jaydee Canvot tracked him effectively throughout, barely maintaining Oliver Glasner's team in the match. Ismaïla Sarr nearly reduced the lead, but Virgil van Dijk managed to block the attacker from achieving his eighth goal ever versus Liverpool.
That said, Palace secured a strange way back into the game shortly afterwards, thanks to Daniel Munoz lobbing the ball into an unguarded goal after Woodman hurt himself while executing a clever stop against Sarr.
Liverpool's reserve option Armin Pecsi was warming up on the sidelines, though Woodman resumed play, and he observed gratefully as Jorgen Strand Larsen merely struck the upright with the final significant opportunity to level things.
Wirtz ultimately resolved matters definitively, capping an outstanding performance with a brilliant effort in added time that rocketed into the distant side of the net.
The primary concern for Slot's squad involved Salah's condition, as he departed due to what looked like a muscular problem that could cut short his iconic stint at Anfield.
That possibility evidently occupied his thoughts, given how he saluted each section of the stadium prior to leaving the field.
Palace have managed only a single triumph in their past 19 encounters with sides that began the day in the upper portion of the Premier League standings, the solitary success oddly against Liverpool back in September.
In the meantime, the Reds capitalised completely on Aston Villa's midday loss and have climbed to fourth position via goal difference, holding a solid eight-point lead over Brighton in sixth.