Alexander Isak ended his Anfield drought as Liverpool secured a crucial win over Crystal Palace to strengthen their bid for Champions League qualification.
The Swedish striker, who has endured a difficult spell since his record-breaking move, opened the scoring with a looping effort that beat Dean Henderson after bouncing up off the turf.
Liverpool doubled their lead soon after, with Andy Robertson finishing off a slick counter-attack following excellent work from Curtis Jones.
Third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, making his first Premier League appearance for the club, played his part with a key save to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta just before Robertson’s goal.
Crystal Palace threatened a comeback late on.
Daniel Munoz struck from distance while Woodman was down injured, and substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen hit the post as the visitors pushed for an equaliser.
However, Liverpool sealed the win in stoppage time when Florian Wirtz finished calmly from inside the box.
The victory moves Liverpool eight points clear of sixth place with four games remaining, putting them in a strong position to secure a top-five finish and Champions League football.
Despite the win, there was concern as Mohamed Salah was forced off injured in the second half.
The forward, who has already confirmed he will leave at the end of the season, remains a key figure for the Reds in their final fixtures.
The atmosphere at Anfield was subdued at times, with fans staging protests over rising ticket prices, reflecting a season that has lacked the highs of previous campaigns.
Crystal Palace made a bright start and created several chances, with Brennan Johnson missing a key opportunity early on.
They finished strongly, registering more shots and testing Liverpool’s defence, but were unable to find the cutting edge needed to take something from the game.
Despite the defeat, Palace remain focused on their European ambitions, with a Conference League semi-final on the horizon.
