Liverpool moved up to fourth in the Premier League after a hard‑fought 3‑1 victory against Crystal Palace, but the win was tinged with uncertainty for Mohamed Salah, who may have played his last match for the club. Alexander Isak opened the scoring, netting his first goal since December, and Andy Robertson doubled the lead before half‑time. Palace managed a controversial equaliser when Daniel Muñoz lofted the ball over a struggling Freddie Woodman, but Florian Wirtz sealed the three points with a late strike in stoppage time. Salah, who confirmed earlier this week that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season after nine years, collapsed just before the 60‑minute mark after feeling a pull in his left hamstring.
The injury threw a cloud over his availability for the final four games of the campaign. "It’s too early to give a prognosis," Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said. "We all know Mo – he hates leaving the pitch. If we were 6‑0 and I took him off two minutes before the final whistle, he’d still be thinking ‘I could have scored two more.’ "When Mo does have to go off, it tells you something.
We’ll have to wait and see how serious it is." Slot’s side capitalised on Aston Villa’s loss to Fulham on Saturday, overtaking them on goal difference and moving level with Manchester United, while extending an eight‑point cushion over sixth‑placed Brighton. Anfield’s atmosphere was electric but also chaotic. Thousands of fans waved yellow cards in protest at the club’s proposed ticket‑price hikes, and a penalty awarded to Liverpool was later overturned after a VAR review.
Salah broke through on goal and was brought down by Brennan Johnson’s sliding challenge. Referee Andy Madley initially pointed to the spot, but after a VAR check he rescinded the decision, judging that Johnson had made contact with the ball.
Isak then seized the moment, controlling a wayward Alexis Mac Allister attempt and flicking a bouncing ball over goalkeeper Dean Henderson into the right‑hand corner for his first Premier League goal at Anfield. Freddie Woodman, making his first start for Liverpool after injuries to Giorgi Mamardashvili and Alisson, performed admirably, denying Jean‑Philippe Mateta twice in quick succession. The second save from a close‑range header sparked a swift Liverpool counter‑attack, culminating in Curtis Jones sliding a perfect pass to Robertson, who finished with composure in what turned out to be one of his last appearances at the stadium. Palace struggled to breach Woodman’s protection in the first half; a header from Maxence Lacroix was deflected by the goalkeeper and the right post.
The second half was dominated by injuries. Salah, after completing a trademark run, went down clutching his hamstring and received a standing ovation from the Anfield crowd.
Woodman then appeared to twist his knee while making a save from Sarr, but he managed to stay on his feet long enough for Muñoz to lob the ball over his head and into the net. The third‑choice goalkeeper recovered and, despite a close chance from substitute Jørgen Strand Larsen that rattled the left post, Liverpool held on. Florian Wirtz later cemented the win by smashing a shot off the woodwork and into the net in the dying minutes.
Liverpool’s line‑up was: Woodman; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Jones; Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak. Substitutes included Frimpong, Gravenberch, Gomez and Kerkez.
Palace fielded Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Muñoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Johnson, Mateta, Sarr, with bench options Sosa, Pino and Strand Larsen. Andy Robertson was named Player of the Match. In post‑match comments, Robertson reflected on Muñoz’s goal: "I was the closest player to him.
He didn’t look up until he hit the ball, then he glanced up when Freddie was back on his feet and went down again. In a game like this you hope the referee doesn’t punish you because it could have been 2‑2 right after. No one is to blame; it’s part of football." Woodman described his own injury: "The pitch was very dry and my knee got stuck.
I felt pain on the inside of my knee and wasn’t sure whether to get up and hobble toward the goal or stay down. It was a unclear moment – I thought the game would stop, but luckily it didn’t cost us." Slot criticised the handling of the Palace goal: "Because of that goal the match became a lot more tense. I don’t think we deserved to concede in that manner, but Palace were more in the game than the 2‑0 score suggested, so it wasn’t a surprise they could score in the second half. The way we gave up the goal was not what we expected." He added, "There are countless times we’ve been in a promising position and a player is on the floor when the referee blows his whistle.
I can’t count them all. We’re a fair team; we don’t feign injury. If a player is down, something serious has happened. I don’t blame Palace, but the referee should have stopped play." Palace boss Oliver Glasner defended the decision surrounding Muñoz’s strike: "We spoke with the fourth official, with Arne Slot and Van Dijk about what to do.
We reviewed the footage. The keeper got up. If he hadn’t and had to be substituted, we could have scored a serious injury goal." He continued, "The ball went to Muñoz and the keeper raised his arm.
He either didn’t see it or it happened simultaneously. The referee must stop the game if he believes there’s a serious injury, but you saw the keeper continue.
Demanding a stoppage can be dangerous for the future. It wasn’t crystal clear, but I think the decision was right in the end." Liverpool now sit level on points with Manchester United and enjoy a comfortable eight‑point lead over Brighton, but the lingering question of Salah’s fitness adds a layer of drama to the final stretch of the season.
The club will monitor his hamstring closely, hoping the Egyptian forward can return for the decisive matches that could determine a Champions League spot or even a title challenge.