Liverpool Vs. Crystal Palace: Klopp Prepares Core Players To Return To The Top Of The Standings

Mohamed Salah is back in charge of Liverpool's front line. (photo: x @Mo Salah)

JAKARTA - Liverpool want to reclaim leadership at the top of the Premier League standings as the championship race heats up. This time the Reds welcomed Crystal Palace at Anfield Stadium on Sunday, April 14.

The draw against Manchester United last weekend left the hosts behind Arsenal on goal difference with seven games remaining this season. While the visitors are in 14th place amid a record five games without a win.

After a landslide loss of 0-3 to Atalanta in the Europa League last Thursday, Jurgen Klopp is certain to make a number of changes to Liverpool's starting XI ahead of an important meeting with Crystal Palace this Sunday. Liverpool have ambitions to return to lead the Premier League standings after seeing several key players recover from injury in recent weeks.

One of the key players who recovered was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who returned to the bench in midweek after being sidelined since mid-February due to a knee injury. Alexander-Arnold is likely to return to the right-back on Sunday.

Ibrahima Konate is also ready to return with Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defense. Although Alisson Becker has not recovered from injury which has kept him out of the last 14 matches. Most likely the Brazilian goalkeeper is not yet fully ready to play, so Caoimhin Kelher will remain a goalkeeper.

In midfield, although Thiago Alcantara is still absent and Stefan Bajcetic is still in the concern of fitness, there is still fierce competition for a place at the starting XI. Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, and Alexis Mac Allister played in midfield against Atalanta last Thursday, while Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Harvey Elliott also competed for a place to play.

Di lini depan, Mohamed Salah dipastikan kembali ke starting XI setelah mencetak 17 gol dan memberikan sembilan assist dalam 25 tampil di Liga Premier musim ini. Luis Diaz kemungkinan akan menjadi pilihan di sisi lain, setelah membuka skor di pertandingan terakhir mereka melawan Manchester United.

Despite competing with Jota and Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez is predicted to lead the front line in a 4-3-3 formation, with 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season, including 11 goals and eight assists in 29 Premier League appearances.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace traveled to Liverpool with the aim of injuring the Reds title race and scoring their first win over Liverpool since 2017. Their victory came during a visit to Anfield in April 2017 with a score of 2-1.

Apart from last season's two draws, every top caste meeting between the two teams has since ended in a win for Merseyside's side, including in a dramatic match at Selhurst Park in December, where the Eagles took the lead through Jean-Philippe Mateta, and were equalized by Salah in the 76th minute and Harvey Elliott stole three points in injury time.

It was one of 15 defeats in the top 31 caste matches of the season for the London team, and new boss Oliver Glasner has seen no significant increase since his inauguration in late February, despite starting his term of office by beating Burnley 3-0 at Selhurst Park.

Of their five attempts since then, Glasner's men have only collected two more points, with a consecutive 1-1 draw against Luton Town and Nottingham Forest, before losing at AFC Bournemouth and last losing 4-2 at home to Manchester City last weekend. Even though they initially took the lead through Mateta and narrowed the gap through Odsonne Edouard, but after Kevin De Bruyne's brace and goals from Rico Lewis and Erling Haaland finally confirmed Citizens' victory.

While currently not involved in the description of relegation, Crystal Palace is now only ahead of the top 15 Brentford and Everton in 16th place, just three points and a five-point relegation zone with seven games remaining, and they will hope to produce classy results this weekend to avoid being dragged into relegation fights in the final round.

Player Composition Forecast

Liverpool: Neckneck; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Endo, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Ward, Andersen, Lerma; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Olise, Mateta, Eze