Palace's unusual share of the ball could not stop Liverpool

Liverpool won 3-0 at Selhurst Park, with Crystal Palace holding more possession than usual but finishing well behind on the chances.

Crystal Palace had more of the ball than they usually do, and it did not help them. Their home matches this season have seen them average 40.8% possession, so 53% was a clear rise. Liverpool still left Selhurst Park with a comfortable 3-0 win, and the ball turned out to be the least important part of the story.

Possession only tells us who kept the ball, not who threatened the goal. Palace took 17 shots, 10 of them from inside the penalty area, which is more than their usual 9.3 shots at home. Liverpool took 20, and 18 of those came from inside the box, well above their away average of 15.3.

The gap is clearer in expected goals, a measure of how good the chances were based on where and how each shot was taken. Palace's 1.61 was above their usual figure of 1.23, so they were not poor, just outchanced. Liverpool's 2.56 was more than double the 1.21 they average away from home, and that is the number that explains the scoreline.

Alexis Mac Allister opened the scoring on 40 minutes, finishing a move started by Dominik Szoboszlai. Florian Wirtz doubled the lead on 54 minutes, set up by Bradley Barcola, and then set up Alexander Isak for the third on 89 minutes. Wirtz's rating of 8.5 reflects how much of the attacking work ran through him.

Palace conceded three, more than their home average of 2.3, and scored none against a usual one a game at home. Liverpool scored three away from home, where they usually manage 1.2, and kept a clean sheet, which is not something they normally do on their travels. Palace's keeper, D. Henderson, made five saves to keep the margin from getting worse.

On target, Liverpool managed eight shots to Palace's six, which fits the difference in chances without making it dramatic. Szoboszlai created six chances for team-mates, a strong return for a player who was taken off on 69 minutes. Liverpool picked up four yellow cards and Palace two, and nobody was sent off.

Palace sit 19th in the table with seven points from nine games, having won two. Liverpool are sixth with 15 points from nine, having won four and drawn three.

Player of the matchF. Wirtz1 goal · 1 assist8.5

A. Mac Allister1 goal8.2

A. Isak1 goal7.8

Alisson Becker6 saves7.8