Vitezslav Jaros was the unlikely hero for Liverpool in their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, stepping off the bench to make his debut in place of the injured Alisson.
With regular back-up Caoimhin Kelleher out with an illness, 23-year-old third-choice Jaros was thrust into the action and brilliantly denied Eberechi Eze when the Palace ace was played in by sub Jean-Philippe Mateta for a big chance late on.
Liverpool had been on course for a routine win with an hour played thanks to Diogo Jota’s first-half strike but Mateta made a difference from the bench. However, after a string of stops from Alisson, his novice replacement helped Slot’s men to a sixth win in seven matches.
After Manchester City and Arsenal won later on Saturday, Liverpool sit one point clear at the top of the Premier League, while Palace’s wait for a first success this season goes on and they remain in the relegation zone.
Liverpool reserve goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros makes his first Premier League appearance
Palace had found the net inside a minute when Eddie Nketiah dinked a shot over Alisson but the striker was well offside and for the next hour Liverpool took control of the contest. Jota marked his 100th start for Liverpool with a trademark finish from Cody Gakpo’s low cross and the Portuguese could easily have grabbed a hat-trick.
He miscued later in the first half from Ryan Gravenberch’s cross, amid chances for Gakpo, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, and then somehow nodded a free header wide from close range after the break when he met Alexander-Arnold’s clipped pass.
That chance finally forced Oliver Glasner to turn to his bench to try to spark some life into his lacklustre side and the introduction of Mateta made a noticeable difference.
Palace – who had forced a good save from Alisson on the stroke of half-time through Ismaila Sarr – were suddenly able to sustain attacks, working the Liverpool goalkeeper through an Nketiah drive, an Eze shot which was parried and Trevoh Chalobah’s flick from a corner when appeals for a penalty when Van Dijk pulled back Marc Guehi were waved away.
“I think we should get a clear penalty,” said Glasner afterwards. “Guehi wants to go to the ball, he’s holding him with two hands.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
James Cole and Peter Smith discuss whether Liverpool were lucky to leave Selhurst Park with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace
The atmosphere was at last ignited and Palace, so tame for the first 60 minutes, tackled with more intensity. Their hopes of grabbing a point were boosted when Alisson limped off clutching his hamstring but Jaros seized his chance.
Will Hughes immediately looked to test the stand-in, hooking a shot narrowly wide, but the Czech international kept his focus to keep out Eze, punched away a cross and dived at the feet of Mateta in stoppage time.
For the first hour Palace had been a world away from the side which was so intense, so inventive and operating with such high quality at the back end of last season when a win at Anfield sparked a run of six wins in their final seven.
Seven games into this season they still cannot buy a victory. On three of the four occasions they have started a Premier League season in this way they have been relegated. Alarm bells are ringing – but they can at least be encouraged by that late flurry.
Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma and Liverpool’s Curtis Jones
Slot on record start: It’s special – but we hope to do more special things!
Liverpool boss Arne Slot:
“It is quite special, if you know how many great managers Liverpool have had. But I hope you don’t remember me in five years for this. We are hoping to do more special things and it helps I was left with a very good group and staff to get these results.”
On Jaros’ performance: “Alisson is our clear number one, the best goalkeeper in the world so it’s always a blow when he gets injured. But in almost every position we have a second option that is also really good. Caoimhin has already shown that, so he’s clear he’s No 2. And it is very pleasing to see our third ‘keeper – because Caoimhin was sick yesterday – that he can have an impact on our results.”
Glasner encouraged by Palace performance
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner:
“First half you could see the quality of Liverpool, how quick they play, how they move, the way they run in behind – this is why they may be the best team not just in England.
“The second half encourages all of us. We had enough chances to score from our chances – you can see it’s not going too easily at this moment. It’s understandable to me. We don’t have the confidence, the attacking players are suffering. But the performance, character, creating so many chances against the best defending team in the Premier League this season encourages us.”
Crystal Palace’s Jefferson Lerma and Liverpool’s Curtis Jones
Slot’s Liverpool win again to underline title credentials
Slot has made the best-ever start by a Liverpool manager by winning nine of his first 10 matches – but did the victory at Crystal Palace strengthen their title credentials or perhaps show why they remain a work in progress behind favourites Man City and Arsenal?
Their best traits were all on show during the first hour, with Gravenberch setting the tempo, the wide players a threat and creating chances for Jota in the middle. On the rare occasions Palace got the ball Liverpool’s rock-solid defence shut them out.
But the combination of Mateta’s introduction and a hamstring injury to Alisson created chaos in the final stages, with Palace spurning several good openings and Van Dijk perhaps fortunate to escape punishment for a pull on Guehi in the box.
Yet, the unexpected cameo of Jaros underlined the point that this squad is full of players who can make an impact at this level. See also Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas – or Wataru Endo, who received praise from Slot afterwards for the application he brought in the final minutes.
Against Wolves and in the final half-hour at Palace, Liverpool have been below their best and yet still won. The blip was the defeat at home to Nottingham Forest. The only dropped points of the season. But the overall picture going into the international break is of a talented, well-coached group who should be considered very much in the mix with City and Arsenal for this title chase.
Peter Smith
