Ogbene playing waiting game...
Colombian grabs point for 10-man Liverpool after Nunez is shown red
This season is a marathon more than most with a World Cup wedged into the middle of it but Pep Guardiola’s men now have a four-point headstart.
Palace boss Patrick Vieira (inset left) put out a back five and his intentions were clear. Hold on and counter-attack. It worked.
Volley
The Reds should have led early on. Nunez had a great chance to get his first Anfield goal on his home debut but he sliced a volley wide.
Then Diaz had an effort blocked in a scramble before Mo Salah diverted a Trent Alexander-Arnold pass wide of the mark.
Anfield started to get edgy.
Virgil van Dijk was urged to shoot from 35 yards, he obliged. Kop boss Jurgen Klopp turned to the crowd with his finger on his lips.
Then out of nowhere, the Palace goal arrived in the 32nd minute. It was against the run of play but it was also superb.
Eberechi Eze controlled the ball, beat Alexander-Arnold and Fabinho before sliding in Zaha. The ball and the timing of the run were perfect as Zaha exploited the space behind surprise starter Nat Phillips to finish.
Zaha continued to try to penetrate on that side.
Phillips was starting his first Premier League game since he faced Palace on the final day of the 2020-21 campaign when they secured Champions League football.
Joe Gomez would later come on but he was only deemed fit enough for the bench with Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate out injured. The Reds looked light in attack, even with Salah, Nunez and Diaz up front. Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino were notably absentees.
Dropped
They will be even less potent with Nunez banned for three games.
Diaz rescued a point. Zaha later hit the post. In the end, both sides will have felt they dropped two rather than gained one.
Crystal Palace scorer Zaha said: “We just knew it was going to be hard work and it was a case of taking our chances.
“We knew we would have to suffer but our plan was to soak it up and take chances, so I am happy with the point.
On his opener the winger added: “They were pushing forward and I was looking for space in behind. It only takes one chance and I am glad I took it today.”
Tsimikas 6 (for Robertson, 63); Henderson 6 (for Milner, 63); Gomez 6 (for Phillips, 63); Carvalho for Elliott (79). NOT USED: Keita, Adrian, Clark, Bajcetic, van den Berg.
Edouard 6 (for Ayew, 63); Hughes for Doucoure (79); Milivojevic for Eze (79); Richards for Mitchell (79); Olise for Schlupp (88). NOT USED: Mateta, Johnstone, Ebiowei, Plange.
LUIS DIAZ
DARWIN NUNEZ
CHIEDOZIE OGBENE won’t be put in a ‘headlock’ over contract talks.
With other clubs throwing admiring glances, Rotherham United admit they have hit a wall in their efforts to tie the Ireland star down to a new deal.
The Championship outfit hope the Corkman (below) will agree a new deal, having entered the final year of his current contract after the club triggered a 12-month extension clause.
But the Millers, who claim there have been no bids for the Ireland ace, intend putting contract talks on ice, at least until the transfer window closes on September 1.
“Things have gone cold, we are not negotiating as we speak,” said Rotherham boss Paul Warne. “We obviously want to re-sign Chieo, that goes without saying. He knows that.
“We are going to revisit it when we have done all our business in the window.
“We have reached out to his representatives and, hopefully, it is something we can do.”
Fight
But Rotherham accept that they have a fight on their hands to sign the versatile attacker, who is on the radar of a number of clubs.
And as a current international player, Ogbene knows he can increase his wages elsewhere after some dazzling displays for Stephen Kenny’s team.
And he has made a flying start to his club season after scoring three goals in three games since being pushed into a more attacking role, having largely played wing-back last season.
Warne continued: “It is hard to persuade people otherwise when they have got something in their head that they would like to do.
“It is my job to get
Chieo to perform on a weekly basis and that is my focus. What more can I do? I can’t get him in a headlock. If he doesn’t want to sign a deal, he won’t sign a deal.”
And Warne is reluctant to cash in on the 25-yearold in this transfer window as he feels it would hamper Rotherham’s season.
Warne continued: “It doesn’t help the team out if I sell him. I appreciate it helps the club out, but, fortunately, the chairman wants to keep all of our best players. It’s a moot point at the moment as we haven’t had a bid, although that it could change in a heartbeat.”