Liverpool FC strengthened their hold on a UEFA Champions League place with a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield, with Alexander Isak marking a long-awaited milestone.
The Swedish forward, who joined from Newcastle United for a British-record £125 million, scored his first Premier League goal at Anfield to set Liverpool on their way to a third successive league victory.
Isak opened the scoring with a clever finish from 12 yards, his shot bouncing awkwardly over goalkeeper Dean Henderson and into the net.
Liverpool were forced to field third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, making his league debut for the club due to injuries to Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili. Woodman made a crucial early impact, producing a fine diving save to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Moments later, Liverpool doubled their lead. Andy Robertson finished off a swift counter-attack, capping a flowing move involving Curtis Jones.
Palace threatened a comeback late on when Daniel Muñoz scored from distance while Woodman was down injured. Substitute Jørgen Strand Larsen then struck the post in the 84th minute, raising tension inside Anfield.
However, Liverpool secured the points deep into stoppage time as Florian Wirtz finished calmly from inside the box.
Despite the victory, there was concern for Mohamed Salah, who was forced off injured in the second half. The Egyptian forward, who has confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the season after nine years, received a warm reception from supporters.
Palace had earlier shown promise, with Brennan Johnson missing a key chance in the first half, but ultimately fell short.
The win leaves Liverpool eight points clear of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion in the race for Champions League qualification, with four matches remaining. The top five teams will secure places in next season’s competition.
