Liverpool moved up to fourth in the Premier League after a thrilling 3-1 triumph over Crystal Palace, but the victory was tinged with uncertainty for Mohamed Salah, who may have played his last match for the club. Alexander Isak broke his long‑term goal drought by netting his first strike since December, and Andy Robertson added a second before Palace managed a controversial reply when Daniel Muñoz lofted the ball over an injured Freddie Woodman. The game was finally sealed when Florian Wirtz scored in stoppage time, ensuring the three points for Jurgen Klopp's side.
The win also allowed Liverpool to overtake Aston Villa on goal difference after Villa’s loss to Fulham, putting them level with Manchester United and extending their lead over Brighton to eight points. However, the celebratory atmosphere at Anfield was quickly dampened when Salah, who has announced his intention to leave the club at the end of the season after nine years, collapsed just before the hour‑mark with a hamstring problem. The injury raised immediate concerns about his availability for the final four fixtures of the campaign.
Head coach Arne Slot was cautious in his assessment, saying, "The prognosis is too early to say. We all know Mo, how hard it is for him to leave the pitch.
If we were 6‑0 and I take him out two minutes before the end, he's still like 'I could have scored two more'. For Mo to leave the pitch, that tells you something, but we have to wait and see how bad it is." The manager’s comments highlighted both Salah’s competitive spirit and the seriousness of the injury, leaving fans waiting for an official update. The match itself was eventful from the start. Thousands of Liverpool supporters displayed yellow cards in the stands to protest a planned increase in ticket prices, creating a vivid backdrop to the on‑field drama.
Early in the first half, Salah appeared to win a penalty after being brought down by Brennan Johnson, but referee Andy Madley consulted VAR and overturned the decision, sparking a heated discussion among the crowd. Isak then seized his moment, controlling a wayward shot from Alexis Mac Allister and flicking it over Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson into the right‑hand corner for his inaugural Premier League goal at Anfield.
Woodman, making his first start for Liverpool in place of the injured Giorgi Mamardashvili and Alisson, performed admirably, denying Jean‑Philippe Mateta twice in quick succession. His second save, a close‑range header, sparked a swift Liverpool counter‑attack that culminated in Andy Robertson finishing a precise pass from Curtis Jones.
Robertson’s goal was celebrated as one of his final contributions at the historic stadium. Palace struggled to find a breakthrough in the first half, with Maxence Lacroix’s header being thwarted by a combination of Woodman's reflexes and the right‑hand post. The second half, however, was defined by injuries and controversy. Salah, after a trademark burst down the left wing, pulled up with a sharp pain in his left hamstring, earning a standing ovation from the Anfield crowd for his effort despite the setback.
Shortly after, Woodman appeared to injure his knee while making a save from Sarr, only for Muñoz to lob the ball over his outstretched arms and into the net, prompting a heated debate about whether the referee should have stopped play for a potential serious injury. The third‑choice keeper remained on the field, and Palace nearly equalised when substitute Jørgen Strand Larsen struck the inside of the left post. Nevertheless, Wirtz put the game beyond doubt by smashing a shot off the woodwork and into the net in the dying minutes, sealing the win for Liverpool.
Post‑match reactions added further depth to the narrative. Andy Robertson, named Player of the Match, praised his teammate Muñoz, saying, "To be fair to the boy, I was the one closest to him and I don’t think he looked up until he hit the ball. I think he looked up when Freddie was back on his feet and then he went back down. In a game like this, you just hope it doesn’t punish you because it could have done, it could have been 2‑2 just after.
I don’t think anyone’s to blame, it’s part of football." Freddie Woodman described his own injury, noting, "The grass was really dry and my knee got stuck in the ground. I felt pain on the inside of my knee. I was unsure what to do really.
I didn’t know whether to get up and hobble towards the goal or stay down. It’s a bit of an unclear moment if the goalkeeper goes down.
I thought naturally the game stops, but luckily it didn’t punish us in the end." Slot reflected on the contentious goal, stating, "Because of the Palace goal, it became a lot more nervy and I don’t think we deserved to concede that goal in that fashion. But Palace were a lot more in the game than the 2‑0 lead showed so it wasn’t a complete surprise to me they could score in the second half. The way we conceded was not as expected. Is there a game we’ve played where there isn’t a talking point about a referee’s decision?
The amount of times I’ve played a game when we’ve been in a promising position and a player is on the floor and the referee has blown his whistle, I cannot even count, and for simulation. We’ve showed we are a fair team. We don’t go to the floor if nothing is wrong.
That happened against Man United when Mac Allister was on the floor and Michael Oliver kept on playing and we conceded a goal. Mac had five or six stitches afterwards. I find it hard that referees don’t go into the game knowing we are not a team that pretends we are injured.
If we’re on the floor something serious has happened. I don’t blame them (Palace).
The referee should stop the game." Palace manager Oliver Glasner defended his side’s actions after the disputed goal, explaining, "We discussed with the fourth official, with Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk what to do. We had watched it back. The keeper gets up. If he doesn’t and he has to be subbed then they could have definitely scored in our goal because then it would have been a serious injury.
The ball goes to Daniel Muñoz and the keeper raises his arm. He didn’t really see it or it is the same time. The referee has to stop the game if he believes it is a serious injury but you see the keeper ends the game. To demand the referee has to stop the game can be very dangerous for the future.
It was not so clear but I think it was the right decision in the end." Looking ahead, Liverpool must manage Salah’s recovery while maintaining their push for a top‑four finish and a possible Champions League qualification. The club’s depth, demonstrated by contributions from Isak, Robertson, and the emerging talent of Florian Wirtz, will be crucial as they navigate the final stretch of the season. The combination of tactical adjustments, injury management, and the looming departure of a club legend adds layers of intrigue to what promises to be a decisive period for Jurgen Klopp’s side.