After all the tumult Liverpool endured and all the condescending questions asked of their club and manager, the Reds finished the 2020-2021 season in the strongest manner possible. Their march to the Champions League truly began with a massive 4-2 victory at Old Trafford, and their journey became a fairytale with Alisson’s last-gasp headed goal at West Brom.
That goal led you to believe Liverpool would finish the job, and, seemingly lifted by that goal from Alisson, they outscored Burnley and Crystal Palace by a combined 5-0 in two commanding victories to close a grueling 2020-2021 Premier League season.
Liverpool are headed to the Champions League next season, finishing third in the league against all the odds.
Here are three takeaways from their 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
Liverpool defend as a team
The vast majority of the questions regarding the Reds focused on the center backs, and Ozan Kabak’s recent injury did not help matters. But all Liverpool needed was Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips to hold firm. The latter has been particularly important in the Reds’ recent victories, maturing before the very eyes of Kopites.
As a whole, Liverpool accomplished these clean sheets over Burnely and Crystal Palace by defending well as a team. Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara have added so much solidity to the midfield that Liverpool can both defend with and without the ball in the middle of the park.
Defense takes a team effort, especially when the center backs are a bit inexperienced. The Reds’ veteran players ahead of them have done an exceptional job of easing the burden on them by being smart in possession and quick to fill gaps when they do lose the ball. We saw their tactical prowess on display in this one.