Isak starts for Liverpool at Crystal Palace as Chelsea face mounting injuries

Liverpool named Alexander Isak in attack as they travel to Crystal Palace, with the forward set to lead the line against a Palace side that have been in strong form this season. Palace recalled Ismaila Sarr to their starting XI for a fixture they view as a test of discipline and intensity, and summer signing Pino also started for the home team. Liverpool paired Isak with a reshuffled midfield, moving Florian Wirtz into a starting role on the left wing to balance their three-man engine room and give the German a chance to influence proceedings from a wider position.

Liverpool entered the match with momentum, collecting 15 points from their five games so far. The club’s head coach, Jurgen Klopp, sits on 97 points from his first 43 matches in charge; another win would push him to 100 and, if achieved against Palace, would make him the fastest Reds boss to reach that milestone. The buildup underlined Liverpool’s ambition to press their title contenders’ pace while testing Palace’s ascent under Oliver Glasner, who has guided the Eagles to an unbeaten run in recent home games.

Palace’s lineup also reflected a focus on continuity and resilience. The return of Sarr provides a familiar threat for Liverpool’s defense, while the home side’s front line and midfield were tasked with sustaining their season-long discipline. The tactical shift for Liverpool, with Wirtz stationed on the left, is designed to provide width and unlock space for Isak and Salah in central areas. Klopp has historically trusted his midfield core, and the plan this afternoon was to sustain pressing pressure while offering the forward line avenues to exploit.

Chelsea’s afternoon fixtures took on extra significance as Enzo Maresca navigates an injury crisis that has deepened in the build-up to this round of matches. Cole Palmer will miss the next three games due to a groin issue, ruling him out until after the international break. Maresca also confirmed that Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana would be unavailable for the period, joining Levi Colwill and Liam Delap on the sidelines. Facundo Buonanotte could not face his parent club, further thinning a squad already stretched by injuries. The Chelsea boss emphasised the challenge of competing in multiple competitions with a reduced squad, particularly with Benfica looming in the Champions League.

The day’s slate extended beyond these two fixtures, with Manchester City facing Burnley and Manchester United visiting Brentford in search of a more encouraging run of results. City were without Rodri for certain periods due to fitness concerns, though Nico Gonzalez stepped in and Savinho was named in the XI as Guardiola’s side balanced rest and rotation ahead of a potential return for Rodri. Guardiola also lauded Kyle Walker’s impact, noting his leadership as a steadying influence during a demanding stretch of fixtures. United, by contrast, remained under pressure after their recent setback and faced scrutiny over consistency as they sought to arrest a troubling run of form.

Liverpool’s recent record against Palace has been highly favorable, with nine wins and one draw in the last ten league visits. The visitors have typically found success in front of goal at Selhurst Park, with Liverpool’s away outings often producing multiple goals. Salah stands on the cusp of a personal milestone, needing two more goals to reach 250 for Liverpool across all competitions. Last season’s late winner from Diogo Jota in a 1-0 victory at Palace underscored the competitive history between the sides and heightened expectations for another entertaining encounter.

Slot’s pre-match remarks focused on Palace’s balance and intensity, praising their ability to maintain structure while pressing intensely when out of possession. Glasner’s prepared approach emphasized exploiting Liverpool’s avenues of attack while continuing Palace’s own high-tempo pressing. The tactical chess match between the managers added further intrigue to a game that also features a crowded weekend slate across the league, including the Chelsea-Brighton clash and City-Burnley, while Leeds meet Bournemouth in another entertaining fixture list.

As the afternoon unfolded, the broader context of the league remained in view. Klopp’s potential milestone loomed large, with the possibility of reaching 100 points for the first time in the early phase of his tenure, a marker that would reinforce Liverpool’s status as a consistent title-chasing side. Glasner’s side, meanwhile, looked to extend their unbeaten run and further cement their position in the European-quarter of the table, a sign that Palace’s progress has not come at the expense of their defensive discipline.

The afternoon’s action represented more than a simple clash between two high-profile Premier League teams. It reflected the season’s broader themes: the ongoing balancing act between squad depth and fixtures, the impact of tactical experimentation on teams with high ambitions, and the ongoing evaluation of players in new roles as managers seek to maximize available resources. For Liverpool, Isak’s leadership of the line and Wirtz’s wide role offered a fresh pathway to goal production, while Palace’s blend of experience and youth provided a platform to test the visitors’ defensive organization.

As kick-off approached, fans and analysts watched to see whether Palace could exploit any disruption in Liverpool’s zuletzt solid start to the campaign or whether Liverpool could impose their pace and technical quality to maintain momentum. The day’s four additional fixtures—Chelsea against Brighton, Manchester City against Burnley, and Leeds against Bournemouth—meant the outcome of this game would also influence the weekend’s shifting landscape among the league’s top sides.

Whatever the immediate result, the afternoon underscored how early-season form, tactical experimentation, and the fitness of key players will continue to shape results as the race to the season’s later stages accelerates. The Premier League’s depth and unpredictability were on full display as two ambitious clubs navigated their respective challenges on a day that balanced history, milestones, and the relentless tempo of modern English football.