Marc Guehi admits Crystal Palace struggled to deal with the “very quick, very intelligent” Mo Salah during Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League defeat at Liverpool, speaking to the official Eagles website.
As Jurgen Klopp alluded to at full time, that 3-0 scoreline flattered the hosts more than it did the visitors.
Every one of Liverpool’s goals came from a set-piece and, while no-one should downplay the importance of corner kicks to a side with title ambitions, things may have gone differently had Palace defended as well from dead balls as they did from open play at Anfield.
Salah made the difference on the stroke of half time, his brilliant flicked header turned home by Sadio Mane at the far post.
The in-form Egyptian then doubled the lead as Palace’s resistance finally snapped with 12 minutes remaining, slamming home a superb left-footed volley before a Naby Keita screamer lathered some tasty icing on top of a nicely baked sponge.
Guehi: Salah was ‘so quick’ for Liverpool against Crystal Palace
“(Salah) is so quick. Very quick, a very intelligent player,” says Guehi, Crystal Palace’s new £18 million centre-back.
“The way (Liverpool) play is very direct. They like to get the ball forward to their front players as quick as possible.
“The (Palace) back line and everyone defended quite well but we were let down a bit by our set pieces. We all have to take responsibility for that. (There are) positives for the back line, dealing with their front three (from open play). It’s important to take that into the next game.”
Performing capably at Anfield just seven days after battering Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in front of a bouncing Selhurst Park, Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace have picked up just five points from five games so far – but the signs are promising.
Tighten up from set-pieces and watch Palace go.
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