Vieira wary of Reds even without Salah and Mane
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has played down the absence of key Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for today’s meeting at Selhurst Park.
The Reds will again be without their two main attackers, who are away competing at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
It will no doubt boost Palace, who lost 3-0 to Liverpool in September with the pair on target and both hit doubles against the south London outfit last season, too.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have coped well without Salah and Mane, winning three of the four games they have missed to progress in two cup competitions and move up to second in the Premier League.
Vieira said: “Liverpool are a team. It is not just about those two players they are missing.
“Obviously with those two players they are stronger, but there are still a couple of players who are playing well with fantastic talents, so the best way to describe this team, before talking about individual talents, is to talk about the team – and this is a strong team.”
Diogo Jota stepped up in the absence of Salah and Mane on Thursday to fire Liverpool to a 2-0 win away to Arsenal which booked a spot in the Carabao Cup Final at Wembley next month.
Roberto Firmino is another example of the rich attacking talent at Anfield and the Brazilian has six goals in 12 appearances against Palace.
“Liverpool are one of the greatest teams in Europe,” added Vieira. “The way they play, they can win, they can lose, but you are always going to enjoy the way they play because of the intensity they are putting into the games.
“We are looking forward to playing them. It will be a challenge for us, but our record at home has been good and we have to give them the game they expect, a difficult one.”
Vieira has some tricky decisions to make with Jordan Ayew back from the Africa Cup of Nations, but likely to be restricted
to a substitute role given the good form of Michael Olise while Jack Butland excelled in the 1-1 draw with Brighton after he stepped in for first-choice goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
“This is what I want for the players. For them to compete for the position and when they have that opportunity to play to show how good they are for the good of the team,” the Palace manager said.
“Jordan went away and I think Michael did really well for us so he has to keep challenging for the starting XI.
“It is the same for Jack. I want Jack to push Vicente and challenge him. I think that will raise the demand, strength and quality of the team.”
Klopp admits midfielder Curtis Jones occasionally needs a “push”, but he has been delighted by the response.
Klopp recently had a pep talk with the academy graduate, who turns 21 next week, in which he told the local youngster it was time to take his game up a level.
Jones, who had been sidelined by a freak eye injury and Covid, has started the last two matches and was particularly impressive in the Carabao Cup semi-final win over Arsenal on Thursday.
“Yes, Curtis was really good the last two games. I know him for a long time now and I am one of his biggest fans,” said Klopp.
“From when I first saw him I can remember the talent group training at Melwood on a side pitch and I looked out of my office and saw him and it was, ‘Ooof. Wow!’.
“The next question was, ‘How old is he?’. I think he was 15 at the time but was already clearly a massive talent.
“Talents need to work and he is doing that work and talents need to learn the game and he is doing that every day.
“Sometimes they need a push and Curtis looks like he is that guy – not that he is not concentrating. It is a proper response and if his response is like this then absolutely fine.”
One player who has needed no such nudge is Diogo Jota, whose two goals against the Gunners secured a first trip to Wembley since 2016.
Only team-mate Mohamed Salah has scored more Premier League goals this season than the Portugal international, whose return of 27 in 56 matches since arriving from Wolves is impressive considering he was brought in to challenge the established front three of Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
With the former two still away at the Africa Cup of Nations, Jota has an important role to play and appears to be relishing the responsibility.
Klopp was asked how he had developed into such a threat. He said: “Work. If you don’t have the basis no one can do miracles. Diogo came here and was an outstanding player.
“It helps when your team has a bit more possession than your former team, that is already helpful and the players around help.
“Diogo is a really impressive person, really mature young man, and loves football, loves working and training, and that is very helpful.”