Liverpool play host to FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace at Anfield on the final match day of the 2024/25 Premier League season, with both sides keen to drop the curtain in fine form.
Having already clinched the most coveted prise in the land, Liverpool may as well be on holiday, although Arne Slot will still demand a professional performance from his side.
At the time of writing, Liverpool’s form has dipped as a casualty of their title win hangover.
A 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur in Merseyside clinched their second Premier League title and 20th English top-flight trophy overall.
But since then, Slot’s side have fallen to a 3-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and were held to a 2-2 draw by title rivals Arsenal at Anfield.
Before hosting Palace, Liverpool will have a chance to rectify their wobble away at Brighton & Hove Albion.
If they don’t come away from the Amex Stadium with a win, it’ll be the first time the Reds have gone three league games without a win this season.
Meanwhile, Oliver Glasner’s Eagles could also come into this contest reeling from a hangover, although that depends on the outcome of their box office meeting with Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
Palace have struggled to push for a European berth since Glasner took over, but winning the FA Cup will guarantee the Eagles a spot in the Europa League.
The game against Liverpool is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, with nothing but pride on the line.
Nevertheless, Liverpool vs Crystal Palace tickets are expected to be highly sought after on Seatsnet.com.
Head to Head
Diogo Jota’s 9th-minute opener in the reverse fixture turned out to be the match-winner when these two sides last met at Selhurst Park.
Ominously, the last time Liverpool beat Palace in South London, the Eagles responded in kind, claiming a narrow win at Anfield.
Liverpool fans will hope that’s not the case this time around, but you wouldn’t put it past Glasner’s dogged side to spring a surprise on the champions.
The last three games between these two sides have been determined by the slimmest of margins, so we can expect more of the same at Anfield.
Before then, they couldn’t be separated, sharing the spoils in back-to-back Premier League games.
Until August 2022, Liverpool were the dominant force in this fixture, winning 10 games in a row – a run that stretched back to April 2017.
The last five meetings have been more evenly contested, although Liverpool have won twice compared to Palace’s solitary success, which came at Anfield (D2).
Palace have only won one of their last seven meetings with Liverpool at Anfield (D1, L5).
They’d be looking to make it back-to-back wins in Merseyside for the first time since their astonishing three-game winning streak between 2015 and 2017.
Best XIs
Liverpool
Liverpool’s established core was the key to their successful Premier League title challenge, and Slot will be keen for his side to go out with a bang.
Aside from the occasional tweaks, Liverpool’s starting line-up has been predictable all season, yet they’ve been the unstoppable forces of the Premier League.
Alisson was key to Liverpool’s title triumph and should take his place between the sticks in the final fixture.
Despite spending a lengthy spell on the sidelines, only a handful of goalkeepers can better Alisson’s nine clean sheets. He’d fancy his chances of hitting double figures against Palace.
Ahead of him, Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Conor Bradley should provide protection.
Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold would usually be one of the first names on the team sheet, but after the reception he got against Arsenal, Slot might be tempted to get him away from the firing squad.
Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch should anchor the midfield per usual. Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Mohamed Salah should be the supporting cast in attack, lining up behind Luis Diaz.
Predicted XI:
(4-2-3-1): Alisson; Bradley, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Mac Allister, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Szoboszlai, Salah; Diaz.
Crystal Palace
Keen to pull off a massive upset at the end of the season, you’d expect Glasner to field his best starting line-up, assuming they come out from games against Man City and Wolves unscathed.
Dean Henderson has enjoyed a fantastic campaign for Palace. At the moment, he has kept 11 clean sheets for the Eagles. Only Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels (13) and Arsenal’s David Raya (12) have kept more.
He has been a shrewd acquisition for Palace and should get a chance to add to his outstanding tally against Liverpool.
Keeping the Reds at bay is not a feat many have managed, but Henderson’s chances will be bolstered by a protective shield of Marc Guehi, Maxence Lacroix, and Chris Richards.
Adam Wharton has also been fantastic for Palace and has been touted for a high-profile summer switch.
However, his immediate focus will be on finishing the season strongly and should anchor the Palace midfield alongside Will Hughes while Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell provide width.
Eberechi Eze’s future is almost always up in the air, but he’d be in the spotlight for different reasons against Liverpool, lining up alongside Ismaila Sarr in attack.
Jean-Philippe Mateta will be tasked with leading the line. He has been in prolific form for the Eagles this season, scoring 14 goals in the Premier League and 17 across all competitions at the time of writing.
Predicted XI:
(3-4-2-1): Henderson; Guehi, Lacroix, Richards; Mitchell, Wharton, Hughes, Munoz; Eze, Sarr; Mateta.
Ticket Information
Want to experience the thrill of Premier League football live? Secure your tickets through official club websites.
For great deals and a wide selection of seats, especially for Liverpool games, you can get Liverpool tickets at Seatsnet.com, a secondary marketplace for finding tickets to every Premier League fixture.
How to Watch in the United Kingdom
Watch all the 2024/25 Premier League games live on Sky Sports, TNT Sports, and Amazon Prime Video.
Sky Sports has the most comprehensive coverage with 128 live matches, followed by TNT Sports with 52 games, and Amazon Prime Video with 20 exclusive streams.
No matter your preference, there is a way to watch your favourite team play on matchday.
