Liverpool Prepare to Lift Premier League Trophy in Final Game vs Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace – Premier League Preview

Date: Sunday, 25th May 2025

Venue: Anfield

Kick-off: 16:00 BST

Liverpool return to Anfield for their final season fixture, with the Premier League title already secured and preparations underway for what could be the start of a new era. Having clinched their 20th English league crown, Arne Slot’s side will be presented with the trophy in front of a packed and expectant Kop, following what is expected to be a festive afternoon against Crystal Palace.

With Jeremie Frimpong already signed off internally and Florian Wirtz potentially arriving for a British record fee of £125m, the Liverpool hierarchy of Slot, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are already assembling the tools to mount a defence of the crown—and perhaps go even further. This final outing is about finishing on a high, saying goodbye to some, and laying the tone for the next chapter.

Palace, fresh from their historic FA Cup triumph, are unlikely to play the part of polite guests simply. Under Oliver Glasner, they have developed into a resilient and tactical outfit, with an attacking line full of flair and threat. On what could be a farewell appearance for several Reds players, the visitors will be determined to spoil the party.

Crystal Palace Availability

Oliver Glasner will bring his strongest side to Anfield, though will be without Chadi Riad Dnanou, Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton, and Cheick Doucoure, whereas Nathaniel Clyne and Ben Chilwell will undertake late fitness tests

Palace’s recent form has been exceptional, with a 4-2 home win in the Premier League coming after their historic 1-0 win over Manchester City to clinch the FA Cup. A 0-2 win at Tottenham came before that tremendous trip to Wembley. After 37 games played, the Eagles have a superb 52-point total and sit comfortably in 12th place in the English top tier.

Predicted Crystal Palace Lineup (3-4-2-1):

GK: Dean Henderson

CB: Joel Ward

CB: Marc Guéhi

CB: Chris Richards

RWB: Daniel Muñoz

CM: Jefferson Lerma

CM: Will Hughes

LWB: Tyrick Mitchell

RAM: Daichi Kamada

LAM: Eberechi Eze

CF: Eddie Nketiah

Liverpool Availability

Virgil van Dijk will return to the starting eleven to captain the side on his coronation day, and the entire first-team elite will be named to ensure a home victory. The full-back pair of Andrew Robertson and Conor Bradley are expected to start either side of Konaté and Van Dijk, while Wataru Endo may return to midfield to bring control.

With rumours surrounding the futures of Darwin, Díaz, and Jota, this may be the last Anfield outing for some of Liverpool’s modern legends. Alexis Mac Allister and Joe Gomez appear to be the only absentees for the hosts. A 3-2 lost at Brighton came after a 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal, a week after the Reds lost 3-1 at Chelsea.

Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1):

GK: Alisson Becker

RB: Conor Bradley

RCB: Ibrahima Konaté

LCB: Virgil van Dijk (c)

LB: Andrew Robertson

CM: Wataru Endo

CM: Ryan Gravenberch

ACM: Dominik Szoboszlai

RW: Mohamed Salah

CF: Luis Díaz

LW: Cody Gakpo

How Will This Contest Play Out?

This match will be about moments between two sides eager to continue their recent trophy-winning celebrations. Liverpool will look to control possession and dictate tempo through their midfield engine, while Palace will wait for their explosive front three to pounce on transition opportunities.

Expect sharp rotations in midfield and quick interchanges around the Palace box. If Salah and Szoboszlai can combine early, the visitors may struggle to contain the Reds’ front line. I suspect that given the Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah, will be chasing personal records, the team will be catered to supply the record-breaking Wideman.

Player to Watch: Mohamed Salah

With his future now assured, this could be a glittering Anfield appearance for Salah. With one more appearance available to attain even more greatness, expect a full-throttle performance from the 32-year-old.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 3 – 1 Crystal Palace