Diogo Jota's strike against Crystal Palace keeps Liverpool top of Premier League

Portuguese forward's goal makes it three straight wins in league for Arne Slot's side but keeper Alisson is injured

Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates with teammates after scoring their first goal against Crystal Palace in the Premier League game at Selhurst Park on October 5, 2024. Reuters

Liverpool's Diogo Jota scores their first goal. PA

Liverpool's Diogo Jota celebrates scoring their first goal with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. Reuters

Liverpool's Diogo Jota scores their opener. Reuters

Liverpool's Alisson Becker makes a save from Ismaila Sarr. Reuters

Alisson Becker of Liverpool is comforted by teammate Cody Gakpo as he receives medical treatment for an injury that saw him come off. Getty Images

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah shakes hands with manager Arne Slot as he is substituted. AFP

Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta is denied by Liverpool's substitute keeper Vitezslav Jaros. Reuters

Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr battles with with Liverpool's Kostas Tsimikas. Action Images

Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze shoots straight at Liverpool substitute goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros. PA

Diogo Jota’s goal kept Liverpool at the top of the Premier League for another week as they beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The Portugal international punished some poor defending to earn Arne Slot’s men a third league win on the spin.

But there was some bad news for Liverpool as first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker was forced to leave the pitch with what looked like a hamstring injury.

Liverpool showed their title pedigree in south London and head into the international break in high spirits ahead of a home clash against Chelsea later this month.

Palace were out of the blocks quickly and had the ball in the net inside a minute, only for Eddie Nketiah’s effort to be disallowed.

Jefferson Lerma outmuscled his man to release Ismaila Sarr down the right, but his ball to Nketiah saw the striker start his run too soon and his first-time lifted finish over Alisson was chalked off.

Liverpool sparked into action and a well-worked move saw Jota punish Palace’s leaky defence.

Kostas Tsimikas slipped in Cody Gakpo down the left and he fizzed a pass into the box where loanee Trevoh Chalobah was caught napping, with Jota nipping in front to tap home.

The goal was typical of Palace’s season, with individual errors at the back undoing their quality going forward, and this theme continued as Liverpool’s press forced loose passes from the likes of the usually composed Adam Wharton.

The Reds began to take control after the break.

Palace manager Oliver Glasner needed to make a change and turned to the bench in a bid to find an equaliser. Targetman Jean-Philippe Mateta came on and his introduction saw Palace enjoy their best spell of the match.

The French forward picked up deeper positions and he combined with Nketiah and Eberechi Eze before his shot forced Alisson into action.

The home side had a shout for a penalty ruled out by VAR after Virgil van Dijk grabbed hold of Marc Guehi's arm.

Palace threw numbers forward in the final 10 minutes after Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson went off injured.

A whipped cross from Nathaniel Clyne tested replacement stopper Vitezslav Jaros and his punched clearance fell to Will Hughes, but the midfielder’s shot flew over the crossbar.

Moments later, Palace squandered their best chance of the match.

Terrific instincts from Hughes saw him intercept the ball in midfield and Palace countered. Mateta got in behind and slipped in Eze one-on-one with Jaros but he hit his effort straight at the keeper.

Afterward the victory, Liverpool captain Van Dijk told TNT Sports: "It is hard to come here. The results over the years are tight and close.

"I think obviously we scored a fantastic goal. We could have done better in the second half, but we knew they'd come out with a bit of pressure on the ball.

"It ends our run on a high before the internationals."

Manager Slot said: "Really satisfied with how we started the season. It is a good start not only the results, but I liked our performance today.

"There was a period of the game we conceded free-kicks and that was a difficult period. For the last 10 minutes we kept the ball very well."

On the fixture list after the international break, which includes Premier League meetings with Chelsea and Arsenal, he said: "The fixtures are difficult, but I have felt how difficult Wolves and Palace are away. It is good that we have won these games and it is up to us to show ourselves in the big games.

"Unfortunately, Alisson will not be with us in these matches with how he walked off the pitch.”

On Jaros's debut as a replacement for Alisson, he said: "Really good. He had a good season and he won the league and cup with the team [Sturm Graz] in Austria [last season]. It was a nice moment for him to make his debut for Liverpool."

Palace boss Glasner told Palace TV: “I think we deserved more at the end. In the first half we could see how good Liverpool are, how quickly they moved the ball.

“We had a great start with the offside goal, and then we had problems and they had the lead. They deserved the lead at half-time.

“But the second-half gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. We created chances and also we were good in defending.

“I think we must get a clear penalty for us. Marc [Guehi] is held with two hands, but we have to accept it."