Pierre Sage’s future as Crystal Palace head coach appears increasingly uncertain after Liverpool inflicted a fourth Premier League defeat in a row on the struggling Eagles.
Palace are bottom of the table, having claimed just seven points out of a possible 30 under Sage, who succeeded Oliver Glasner in the summer.
Liverpool made Palace pay for missed opportunities at Selhurst Park and it was Alexis Mac Allister’s fine header in the 40th minute that broke the deadlock following a neat free-kick routine.
Fourteen minutes into the second half, Florian Wirtz produced a tidy finish to double the Reds’ lead after he was picked out by Bradley Barcola.
Alexander Isak had been quiet before missing one big chance late on and then netting the visitors’ third – his seventh league goal of the season.
The hosts netted a consolation with the last kick of the game, when Eddie Nketiah scored from the spot after Milos Kerkez had been penalised.
The Selhurst Park atmosphere was understandably muted as the Eagles started the game on the back foot.
But the crowd was momentarily lifted when a Palace attack ended with Yeremy Pino crashing a close-range effort off the Liverpool crossbar.
For all of Liverpool’s possession, they created little and it was the hosts who thought they had taken a first-half lead but Jorgen Strand Larsen was ruled offside.
And Palace had enough chances to have scored before Nketiah’s stoppage-time penalty – forcing Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker into six saves.
Liverpool, who slumped to an underwhelming loss at Fenerbahce in Europe in midweek, are up to fourth in the Premier League – nine points behind leaders Arsenal.
