Liverpool moved to the top of the Premier League table with their victory over Crystal Palace.
Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah bagged their customary goals, before Naby Keita scored a sublime volley in the closing moments to round off the victory.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have amassed 13 points from a possible 15 so far this season, and remain one of four unbeaten clubs in the league this term going into Sunday’s games.
Plenty of national media outlets were in attendance at Anfield to watch Liverpool beat Palace.
Here is a selection of what we picked out from the national media verdict on the Reds’ latest victory.
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Jonathan Norcroft, via The Times
“The champagne came from Naby Keita who, when Vicente Guaita’s punch landed his way at the edge of the box, steadied himself, adopted the perfect body shape, and uncorked a gorgeous volley that fizzed into the net in front of a giddy Kop.
“Keita shrugged, smiled and held out his palms, feeling almost compelled to apologise for his brilliance.
“A 3-0 win against a good, physical, ambitious Crystal Palace side is no mean feat.
“So many seem to fancy Chelsea or Manchester City for the title but Liverpool are top of the league and so far in 2021-22 have looked as good as when they were champions in 2019-20.
“The vintage reds were Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah. Their credentials seem also to be overlooked.”
Melissa Reddy, via The Independent
“Liverpool navigated another onerous hurdle, crushing Crystal Palace to offer a further reminder that anyone who doesn’t consider them title contenders are fighting the obvious.
“Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita did the damage at a sun-drenched Anfield on Saturday afternoon.
“Victory was not straightforward, which made it all the sweeter for Liverpool. Patrick Vieira’s Palace is unmistakably more aggressive, enterprising and infused with belief that they can match whomever the opponent.
“They turned up on Merseyside having hurricaned past Tottenham after drawing with both Brentford and West Ham as the manager’s proactive approach takes greater shape.
“Palace were uncomfortable adversaries for Jurgen Klopp’s unbeaten men and while the result was not what they wanted, there were plenty of positive shoots for their new era.”
Oliver Holt, via the Daily Mail
“There were 12 minutes to go when Mo Salah ran on to the ball that had dropped out of the melee of bodies competing for it at a corner. He advanced on it without breaking stride and smashed it past Vicente Guaita in the Crystal Palace goal.
“His landmark strike, his 100th Premier League goal, had come at Elland Road last week, but Salah celebrated number 101 with even more gusto.
“Perhaps it was because it was in front of The Kop, perhaps it was because there has been so much speculation about whether he will follow the rest of the first team cohort and sign a new contract at the club or perhaps it was because he knew it was the goal that meant Liverpool would end the day at the top of the table for the first time since January 4.
“He ripped his shirt off and threw it down on the turf and drank in the celebrations of the fans.
“Maybe there was another reason. This was an emphatic victory for Liverpool and even if they had their scares early in the game, it was a win that suggested that, after all the adversity of last season, they will be right in the thick of the title race again this season.
“Almost for the first time since they won the title, they looked like the Liverpool of old.”
Richard Jolly, via The Guardian
“Sadio Mané had long since assumed his place in Liverpool history. He was a scorer in one Champions League final, a winner in another, a catalyst in ending their 30-year wait for a league title, but in becoming Liverpool’s 18th centurion, he joined a pantheon. 'It is a massive achievement,' said Jürgen Klopp. 'In the glorious history of this club, only 18 players could score 100 goals.' Now Mané finds himself in distinguished company, level with Kevin Keegan and with John Barnes next in his sights.
“Perhaps there was no more fitting, or predictable, victim for a milestone strike. 'I love to play against Crystal Palace,' said Mané. 'It would be great to play them every single weekend.' The feeling is surely not mutual. By scoring in a ninth successive game against them, Mané equalled Robin van Persie’s Premier League record for picking on one opponent; Palace can now empathise with Stoke, who suffered at the left foot of the Dutchman.
“His previous goals against them clinched Liverpool’s place in the Champions League and brought an anti-climactic end to Roy Hodgson’s managerial career and if Patrick Vieira’s revamped, more adventurous outfit offered a blend of menace and resistance, Klopp’s side extended their excellent start to the season. 'It is one of the most hard-fought 3-0s ever,' said the Liverpool manager. 'We had to give everything. We weren’t flying. We had to grind out a proper performance. I liked it.'
“While their rivals have spent heavily on attacking talents this summer, Mané and his fellow scorer Mohamed Salah offered reminders Liverpool’s past, and cheaper, business has equipped them well to challenge. Naby Keïta has felt the exception, the one big Klopp buy who has misfired but his sweet volley made victory more emphatic. 'Naby... wow,' enthused his manager. 'He scored the most wonderful of our goals.'
"It stemmed from a Salah corner that Vicente Guaita punched away and, indirectly, all three goals came from corners. 'We were really poor defending set pieces,' rued Vieira. 'Not conceding a goal in open play is a credit to the team but the frustration was to concede those three on set pieces.'"
