Liverpool look in the mood to be Premier League title challengers – but Crystal Palace present an early test of their credentials

BY SAM SMITH

There is elevated optimism around Anfield, but when Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace on Monday night they will face their toughest test since their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in May.

Last season, the Reds watched on with the rest of the division as Manchester City strolled to Premier League success, smashing several records and amassing 100 points.

But momentum from their European expedition, a big-spending summer reshuffle and a 4-0 blitz of West Ham last weekend mean Jurgen Klopp’s side are now better placed than anyone to challenge the reigning Premier League champions.

They have even been tipped by a minority to surpass Pep Guardiola’s men.

Liverpool have an improved record at Selhurst Park, winning their previous three trips, and it is at Anfield where Palace tend to make their mark.

But flashbacks of Dwight Gayle’s brace and Liverpool’s 2014 title hopes being slashed in SE25 still linger over this fixture, and Reds fans make no secret of the fact they still view the South Londoners as one of their most feared visits.

The money that the Merseysiders spent during the summer transfer window in comparison to that spent by Palace make this game seem a slight mismatch.

Cheikhou Kouyate was the Eagles’ most expensive signing at £9.5 million, but you could afford to almost sign the Senegalese midfielder six times over for the amount Liverpool parted with just to upgrade their goalkeeper options with the capture of Alisson Becker.

In total, the Reds spent £164m – in addition to the £75m capture of Virgil van Dijk in January.

But Palace have been excellent in recent months and are unbeaten since a late Mohamed Salah goal earned Liverpool a fortunate 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park on March 31.

The Eagles perhaps should have won that game. Christian Benteke missed two excellent opportunities. Nevertheless the Eagles are undefeated in the seven games since – 12 inclusive of their successful pre-season.

Since Roy Hodgson replaced Frank de Boer in September last year, Palace have been particularly impressive against teams who like to dominate possession and play the quick, incisive attacking football of Liverpool’s brand.

The Eagles became the first side to keep out Manchester City last season in December’s goalless draw. The Reds themselves struggled to find a route past Palace at Selhurst before they uncharacteristically afforded top-scorer Salah too much time to fire home an 84th-minute winner.

In James Tomkins and former Liverpool man Mamadou Sakho, Palace have a centre-back pairing that has never suffered defeat in the 13 games it has featured.

That run will come under threat against the free-scoring, notorious attacking trio of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, but the partnership has passed other significant tests.

Instead it is in midfield where Palace will face their toughest challenge.

Liverpool will play a similar 4-3-3 formation to the one Fulham used in their 2-0 defeat to the Eagles on the opening day, and Reds new boy Naby Keita – their best player – will play the box-to-box role that Tom Cairney adopted at Craven Cottage.

Luka Milivojevic kept the Cottagers’ captain quiet, notably man-marking him and limiting his impact on the game – ensuring he failed to link up with striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbian will need to be even better to prevent the combative Guinean, who featured in last season’s Europa League ‘Squad of the Season’ while playing for RB Leipzig.

It is unclear whether new signing Max Meyer will be fit to play a part, and Hodgson was hopeful that the German and fellow recruit Jordan Ayew would play in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week.

Kouyate only played the final two minutes at Fulham, so it is likely that the midfield trio of Milivojevic, James McArthur and Jeffrey Schlupp that started the season will once again be deployed against Liverpool.

The Eagles last defeated Liverpool at home in 2014, but this is a Palace side that seems like it might be able to disrupt the form of the Premier League elite.

Liverpool may have a genuine sense of achieving something special this season, but they meet a Palace side on a similar high.