LIVERPOOL CRYSTAL PALACE: PLAYER’S RATINGS  EZE SILENT ANFIELD 

Liverpool 0-1 Crystal Palace

Goals: Eze 14′

Alisson (out of 10) – 7 n made a pleasing return to the team after not featuring since the start of February.

The Brazilian was involved straight away, making an early intervention, but he could do nothing about Eberechi Eze’s goal.

Thwarted Jean-Philippe Mateta with an amazing point-blank stop after the break.

Conor Bradley – 5

Bradley’s influence has dipped in recent weeks and he was again off the pace, looking as though this season may be catching up with him.

The youngster struggled to offer genuine quality and thrust down the right flank and he didn’t look as assured defensively as he has in recent months.

Went off injured with an ankle issue.

Ibrahima Konate – 4

Has Konate been getting an easy ride of late?

The Frenchman was really poor against Atalanta and that was also the case on Sunday, proving to be too erratic on the ball and in his defensive work.

Played a big role in Palace looking so dangerous.

Virgil van Dijk – 5

Van Dijk has had a magnificent season, but this was one of his poorest performances in some time.

It was the Liverpool skipper who allowed Eze to score too easily from a cut-back, and his slip almost allowed Palace to go 2-0 up.

Got better as the game went on, but not the colossus we see most weeks.

Andy Robertson – 7 (Man of the Match)

If there was one man who could hold his head high, it was Robertson.

The left-back was the only player to consistently show heart and quality, producing one great surging pass and making a huge goal-line clearance.

If only others could have played like him.

Wataru Endo – 3

Endo has been a wonderful signing, but like so many, the weeks do appear to be taking their toll on him.

The 31-year-old had a shocking opening 45 minutes, continually losing the ball and displaying little energy, and you could sense the crowd growing frustrated with him.

Rightly substituted at half-time.

Curtis Jones – 5

Jones has been way off the pace since returning from injury and that was no different here, with he and Endo awful.

The early-season ball retention and all-round influence were too often non-existent, and Jurgen Klopp‘s decision to start him was arguably a bad one.

Somehow missed a one-on-one that just summed it all up.

Alexis Mac Allister – 6

While Endo and Jones toiled, Mac Allister was comfortably Liverpool’s best midfielder.

That’s not to say that this was a vintage showing from the No. 10, but he was tenacious off the ball and looked to create magic on it.

Far from perfect, though.

Mohamed Salah – 4

Salah’s form has been a concern by his ridiculous standards, and he again found it so difficult to get into the game.

One run and shot saw him denied before half-time, but his general use of the ball was bad and he looks a shadow of the world-class player who has lit up Anfield so many times.

Lacking fitness or is age catching up with him?

Luis Diaz – 5

Diaz is the Liverpool attacker who looks most likely to create a spark currently, and while he was the liveliest of the three to start, he still didn’t do enough.

Not everything came off for him, but there were some nice touches and jinking runs on show, and he looked less tired than others.

His influence waned, though.

Darwin Nunez – 4

It does appear as though patience is wearing thin with Nunez, having been such a popular figure throughout the season.

His hold-up play was awful, with too many loose touches, and he has to become a far more polished footballer.

Once again guilty of a glaring miss and deservedly subbed.

Substitutes

Dominik Szoboszlai (on for Endo, 46′) – 6

Added legs and drive, but not close to his early-season level.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (on for Bradley, 48′) – 5

Moments of quality, but clearly rusty.

Diogo Jota (on for Nunez, 66′) – 5

Missed a wonderful chance with the goal gaping; otherwise quiet.

Cody Gakpo (on for Diaz, 66′) – 7

Fair play to him, he looked a threat at least.

Harvey Elliott (on for Jones, 82′) – 5

One overhit cross and that was about it.

Subs not used: Kelleher, Quansah, Gomez, Gravenberch

Jurgen Klopp – 5

It’s fair to say that this has been a testing week for Klopp, and he promised a response from his side against Palace.

What a massive worry that that didn’t happen, then.

The first-half performance was as dire as it was concerning, and Liverpool looked so leggy and lacking in belief all afternoon.

He can’t do anything about the dreadful finishing, mind.

This season is now on the verge of collapse after threatening to be legendary – it would be cruel to see Klopp bow out in limp fashion.

Player ratings definitions: 10 = Faultless | 9 = Excellent | 8 = Very Good | 7 = Good | 6 = Average | 5 = Below Par | 4 = Bad | 3 = Very Bad | 2 Awful | 1 = Surely Not