The Liverpool players arrayed themselves into their familiar 4-3-3 triangular formation and began passing the ball around, following Klopp's match strategy to the letter.
The goal was clear: control the tempo, dominate possession, and remain composed through the tricky opening minutes of an away game. Each pass and each movement was measured and deliberate, as Liverpool sought to impose their rhythm on the game.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, set up in a solid 4-4-2 defensive structure. Their strategy was to frustrate Liverpool and look for opportunities to counterattack. Every player, including strikers Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha, fell back to fortify their defense, forming a tenacious wall against Liverpool's advances.
