Liverpool haven’t been at their best in the Premier League this season, and yet Arne Slot and his squad have claimed five wins from five, sitting pretty five points clear at the top.
However, Saturday presents a tough test, all right, with Crystal Palace awaiting the Reds at Selhurst Park. Under Oliver Glasner, Palace have been transformed, winning the Europa League and the Community Shield (against Liverpool) in 2025.
The Eagles have yet to click into gear in an attacking sense this term, but neither have they been leaking goals. No side have conceded fewer strikes than their two this term.
Marc Guehi has helped shape this successful start to the season, with his move to Anfield falling through on deadline day. To breach his backline, Liverpool’s frontline will need to be sharp and fluent, but they will have to do it without the in-form Hugo Ekitike.
Ekitike misses trip to Selhurst Park
Ekitike has been in fine fettle since signing for Liverpool this summer, having posted five goals and an assist for the Merseysiders, less than two months after making his debut.
The latest of which, sadly, saw him sent off, shown a second yellow after removing his shirt in celebration for scoring the winner against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Ekitike will be missed, not least because record signing Alexander Isak is not yet considered to be totally match fit.
However, Federico Chiesa is enjoying a resurgence in his second season at the club, and Slot suggested in his pre-match presser that the Italian could play an important role at the weekend.
It’s unlikely that Chiesa would start the game over Isak, who scored his first goal for the club on Tuesday, but he is bound to see some second-half action.
And given Liverpool’s proclivity and need for last-minute winners this year, it’s likely he’ll be expected to contribute strongly. However, Slot may have an even more exciting super-sub he could call upon.
Slot's Liverpool super-sub
Chiesa came up trumps on the opening day of the Premier League season, putting Liverpool back in front as they snuffed out a brave Bournemouth comeback.
However, Rio Ngumoha’s winning goal at St. James’ Park one match later was more emphatic still, with the 16-year-old writing his name into the division’s record books and rubber-stamping his prodigious reputation.
Described as a “phenomenal talent” by his former youth coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, who also stressed he has the natural talent to challenge for the Ballon d’Or one day, Ngumoha’s rise has come at the expense of Liverpool signing a new left winger, having parted ways with Luis Diaz in August.
That bears testament to his skills, all right, having featured four times in total this term, starting against Saints in midweek.
With electric pace and a directness and drive that bespeaks his precocious qualities, Ngumoha will not be afraid to help steer Liverpool over the line against an undefeated Palace team who would relish causing another upset after lifting the Community Shield at Liverpool’s expense.
1
James Vaughan
16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days
2
James Milner
16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days
3
Wayne Rooney
16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days
4
Rio Ngumoha
16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days
5
Cesc Fabregas
17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days
He’s already got one Premier League strike to his name this season, and if Liverpool find themselves pressing against the Palace ramparts in the final stages, searching for another late winner, it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise if Ngumoha enters the fray and finds the space and time to make something happen.
This kid is the real deal, after all.