After Darwin Nunez lost his head, it took him some considerable time to leave the field. It will be no consolation but maybe his eventual, ignominious departure somehow inspired Liverpool to a point.
A worldie from Luis Diaz soon followed and Jurgen Klopp’s side avoided a defeat that briefly seemed likely after the Nunez moment of madness. But make no mistake, this was setback number two in Premier League game number two for Liverpool.
Nunez will now miss the next three matches and Jurgen Klopp’s side are scratching around for their top form. As a 30th birthday party for the Premier League, this was hardly a swish bash - more beer and sandwiches than champagne and caviar.
The early stages of the festivities might have been livelier had Patrick Vieira’s team not been in strict defensive mode. But much of that was out of necessity as Liverpool went about their business with a good deal more urgency and directness than they had shown in their opening fixture at Fulham.
But Nunez snatched at their best early chance, setting the tone for some uncharacteristically sloppy penalty area work from Liverpool’s attacking unit. And they were made to pay just after the half-hour point when Wilfried Zaha timed his run to perfection, collecting Eberechi’s Eze’s pass in his stride and finishing with serious aplomb.
The pinpoint strike was only Palace’s second touch in the Liverpool box. Ironically, had Zaha’s touch been better minutes later, he would probably have doubled the visitors’ lead but slight clumsiness allowed Alisson to make the block. But the freedom he enjoyed for his second opportunity highlighted an issue at the centre of Liverpool’s defence where Nat Phillips was partnering Virgil van Dijk for the first time in over a year.
HAVE YOUR SAY! What did you make of Liverpool's performance against Crystal Palace? Comment below.
While Zaha was Palace’s lone threat, Liverpool had plenty, including Harvey Elliott, but the talented youngster was another to lose his composure at crucial moments. And that theme continued in the second half with Nunez delaying one effort for a costly extra moment when a goal on his Premier League home debut looked like a good bet.
Perhaps the frustration was at the root of his dismissal just before the hour mark or perhaps he was just fed up with being wound up by Joachim Andersen, who deserved his yellow card for provoking Nunez. But, obviously, there was no excuse for the Liverpool striker’s headbutt and his reaction will certainly have been noted by defenders elsewhere.
Ironically, though, the Nunez red card only served to enliven an otherwise flat Anfield and Diaz - who had barely put a foot right - raised the roof by beating a few feeble Palace challenges before drilling home a fierce right-footer.
Even though they were a man light, Liverpool enjoyed the best of the closing stages although Zaha should have clinched it on the break but could only send a sitter against the outside of a post. A Palace winner would have been harsh on the home side but Klopp will still be concerned.
These are early days but slightly worrying days for the man routinely seen as Pep Guardiola’s only serious challenger.
