- Crystal Palace lost to Liverpool
- Freddie Woodman made rare appearance
- Admits supporting the Eagles
Liverpool goalkeeper Freddie Woodman has opened up on facing Crystal Palace after helping his side beat Oliver Glasner’s men 3-1 at Anfield. The English shot-stopper stepped in for Alisson Becker who was injured.
Woodman made just his third senior appearance for the Reds in the win over Palace. The 29-year-old has spent the majority of his spell with the Merseyside giants out on loan at Preston North End.
The London-born goalkeeper, who has also spent time at Newcastle United, put in an impressive performance on the day. He kept the likes of Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta at bay.
‘I Wanted’ – Woodman on Facing Palace
Woodman came through the Palace youth system during his teenage years before leaving the South Londoners in 2013. He failed to make a senior appearance for the Eagles and left for Newcastle while playing at U18 level.
Liverpool’s encounter with Oliver Glasner’s side gave him the chance to face his former youth team. He admitted to still being a supporter but that he was eager to help Arne Slot’s men prevail (via Anfield Sector):
“I’m a massive [Crystal Palace] fan now, still, but I wanted to try and help the team as much as I can. I’ve trained for this. When you’re playing behind of top players, it makes my job so much easier.”
Woodman’s time between the sticks for Slot’s side is likely to be short, with Alisson expected back before the season concludes. But he put in a performance that will undoubtedly have earned praise from his manager.
Liverpool took the lead through Alexander Isak in the 35th minute before Andy Robertson added a second five minutes later. Controversy unfolded when Daniel Munoz responded for Palace after Woodman went down with an issue to his knee.
Woodman attempted to get his back on his feet when Munoz chipped the ball over him and several defenders and into an empty net. This caused outrage among the hosts, who protested the nature of the goal.
Glasner and former Premier League referee Mike Dean insist it was the right decision to award the goal. This was in vain as Florian Wirtz struck in stoppage time to seal all three points for the Merseysiders.
Palace Have Unearthed Another Goalkeeping Gem
Palace have possessed several impressive goalkeepers during their time in the Premier League. None more so than Dean Henderson, who has thrived since arriving from Manchester United, winning the FA Cup last season.
The future is bright between the sticks for the Eagles as Lucca Benetton continues to catch the eye at youth level. The 15-year-old put in a man-of-the-match performance in the U18’s Premier League Youth Cup final win over United last Friday.
Benetton saved a penalty from Godwill Kukonki in a shootout victory for the Eagles. Henderson rewatched a clip of his display on the night and called him “unbelievable.”
