PREMIER LEAGUE boff Adam Goodwin (@AGJournalism) shares his verdict on Monday night's crunch Premier League between Crystal Palace and Liverpool.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool | Monday 20th August 2018, 20:00 | Sky Sports
Crystal Palace started this season off around one million times better than last season, as they won their first game 2-0 against Fulham.
It took them eight games to win a game and score two goals in their 2017/18 campaign, which will make Palace fans slightly happier than what they were when they faced Liverpool at the same stage last season. It was also the second game of the season then and Liverpool won 1-0 thanks to a Sadio Mane goal.
Both sides are different (and improved) since then and I can see a few more goals.
The Eagles have a good record against Liverpool but – ironically – most of their good results against them come at Anfield. They’ve beaten them three times in the last three years, all of them away from home, so perhaps they can take this good form away at Liverpool back to Selhurst Park on Monday night.
For me, Wilfried Zaha is by far the best player outside the Premier League’s top six and I can see him moving for upwards of £100 million within the next couple of seasons. People may question his finishing but that has come on leaps and bounds recently and if he can get 15-20 goals this season, European’s big boys will definitely come sniffing.
Liverpool’s full-backs will have to be on high-alert on Monday night.
Liverpool
Everyone knows all about Liverpool by now and their dominant 4-0 thrashing of West Ham last weekend laid down a marker to the rest of the teams in this division. New signing Naby Keita looked the star of the show and he’ll add to what is already an incredible frontline of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
You’d always back Jurgen Klopp’s men to score goals and I can see that happening again on Monday.
Selhurst Park isn’t an easy place to go, especially under the lights on a Monday evening, especially when Liverpool have only won one of their last five away games. Funnily enough that one win was away at Crystal Palace at the backend of last season, when a Salah goal ensured Liverpool came from behind to get all three points.
You can back Liverpool to win at around 4/9 in most places, which I think is too short. I’m happy to take them on and fancy a few different angles here.
The betting angle
Liverpool’s side is full of talent but if you had to pick out a weakness it would probably be their full-backs. Trent Alexander-Arnold is still only 19 and I think Zaha will be happy to target him throughout this match.
Whilst Zaha normally plays on the right, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him swap out to the left occasionally to torment Alexander-Arnold and the 9/2 with Betfair on the youngster to be booked looks appealing.
Even if it isn’t Zaha, I think other players like Townsend or even Van Aanholt will fancy their chances against Trent and I like the 9/2.
I also want to get Crystal Palace onside here. Liverpool could easily get the first goal here and runway with things but if Palace open the scoring, I can see a different game altogether.
Roy Hodgson’s side are 7/10 with a +2 headstart on the handicap with Ladbrokes and he’ll be looking for revenge on his old club. This means that this is a winner if Palace win or draw and even if Liverpool sneak a one goal win like they did last season at Selhurst Park.
Best Bets
Crystal Palace v Liverpool – Trent Alexander-Arnold to be carded (9/2 Betfair)
Crystal Palace v Liverpool – Crystal Palace +2 handicap (7/10 Ladbrokes)
