Florian Wirtz had not scored a Premier League goal since 25 April. On Sunday, he ended that wait and drove Liverpool to a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace. Wirtz scored the second in the 54th minute, added an assist and finished with a 9.0 rating, the standout display in a result that moves Liverpool up to sixth.

The game at Crystal Palace vs Liverpool did not start as smoothly as the final score reads. Alisson was forced into six saves and posted a 7.94 rating, which tells its own story about how much Palace carried early threat before Liverpool's better attackers settled the match.

Wirtz's drought ends at the right time

Liverpool's first goal came through Alexis Mac Allister in the 40th minute, giving them a platform without disguising the fact that the game was still open. Wirtz then took over after the break.

His goal in the 54th minute mattered for two reasons. It gave Liverpool breathing room, and it ended a long league wait that had stretched back to 25 April. For a player judged on decisive moments, that drought had become part of the conversation. This was the sort of night that resets it.

Wirtz's overall return was strong as well, a goal and an assist in the same game, and his 9.0 rating was comfortably above his season mark of 6.8. That gap reflects the obvious point from the performance itself: this was not a tidy contribution on the edge of the game, it was the night's best individual display.

Lewis Steele, quoted by dailymail.com, wrote: "The travelling Kop revived an old classic from the 1970s and 2010s as 'Poetry in Motion' was the soundtrack to Liverpool's win at Crystal Palace."

That may read a little grand for a side that still had to work hard for it, but the second-half control from Wirtz gave Liverpool exactly the kind of attacking clarity they had been missing in a rough run.

Alisson kept the game in place

Before Wirtz settled the contest, Palace had enough of it to believe this could go differently. Alisson's six saves were not decorative numbers from a quiet afternoon. Liverpool needed them.

Steele's second report line, again quoted by dailymail.com, put it like this: "The biggest illustration of Palace's misfortune was the fact that Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson was the player of the match, the Brazilian having a throwback performance to deny Palace time and again at 0-0, before keeping his side's lead intact in the second half."

That fits the flow of the game. Liverpool were more clinical when the big moments came, but they were not fully in control from start to finish. Alisson made sure the visitors got to half-time level enough to turn one opening goal into a winning position.

There was still time for Alexander Isak to score in the 89th minute and complete the 3-1 result. Combined with Mac Allister's opener and Wirtz's second, it gave the scoreline a cleaner look than Palace's pressure probably deserved.

The table move and the reporting noise

The win lifts Liverpool to sixth, which is the verified standing after this round. Some reports around the game placed them higher, and this match also came with some confusion over coaching names in source coverage.

That reporting mess is separate from the football itself, and the football part is clear enough. Liverpool won 3-1, Wirtz produced his best league outing in months, and Alisson carried a big share of the defensive load when Palace were on top.

Palace remain 19th after the defeat. Liverpool leave Selhurst Park with three points, a first league goal for Wirtz since 25 April, and a result that steadies them more than the score alone suggests.

FAQ

Why was Florian Wirtz so important in Liverpool's win over Crystal Palace?

Wirtz was directly involved in two goals in Liverpool's 3-1 win at Crystal Palace. He scored the second goal in the 54th minute and also registered an assist, while finishing with a 9.0 match rating. It was also his first Premier League goal since 25 April, which gave the performance extra weight.

Did Alisson save Liverpool against Crystal Palace?

Alisson played a major part in the win. He made six saves and finished with a 7.94 rating as Liverpool came through Palace pressure, especially at 0-0. Lewis Steele, quoted by dailymail.com, described him as the player of the match because of the way he kept Palace out early and protected the lead later on.

Where did Liverpool move in the Premier League table after beating Crystal Palace?

Liverpool moved up to sixth after the 3-1 win at Crystal Palace. Some match reports described a different position, but the verified standing attached to this game places Liverpool sixth.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →