The Advertiser spoke to Liverpool fan and sports journalist Stuart Ballard about this Saturday's FA Cup clash…
Liverpool don't like Selhurst Park, do they? Bad memories in 2014.
I saw we haven't beat Palace at Selhurst since 1997 which I thought was unbelievable but it's one of the hardest grounds to go to because the fans there act as a 12th man throughout all their home games. That 3-3 draw was unbelievable last May but I saw the 3-1 defeat coming in November because at the time we had gone back into that 'transitional period' we've been in for too long and with seemingly no confidence in the squad and goals hard to come by, it seemed inevitable.
Saying that, you have picked up some form since the turn of the year?
It had to happen at some point and although we lost the game, the match against Manchester United changed our season. Brendan Rodgers finally found a system to accommodate his best XI and apart from a couple of off-days, we've looked like an exciting team again. Emre Can has been a breath of fresh air at the back with his confidence on the ball while Lazar Markovic has looked really dangerous in the right wing-back position but the form of Phillipe Coutinho has been immense. His form has enabled Raheem Sterling to find his shooting boots in an unfamiliar striker role and their partnership has been really hard for teams to deal with in the new system.
Is the FA Cup more of a realistic target than a top four finish?
I don't think so, we're only a couple of wins away from the top four and like years gone by it's going to be a really close fight for the Champions League places. Obviously with Chelsea and Manchester City being knocked out of the FA Cup, it has lit up the competition as a possible saving grace but that only adds more pressure. We've got the Europa League to come as well so I think there's plenty more to fight for than one or the other and we should really be aiming for the top four and a trophy.
Which Palace players are you cautious of?
Dwight Gayle has been a thorn in our side since he broke onto the scene and he's the kind of striker that could cause problems for our defence. His pace matched with his composure on the ball makes him a deadly striker which he has proven on many occasions, most recently at Burnley. Wilfried Zaha has obviously 'returned home' and will be hoping to regain the type of form that earned him a move to Manchester in the first place. He has no fear with the ball at his feet and has the talent to take on the best defenders in the league at times, and Alan with Pardew at the helm he seems to have a manager that trusts him to do the job.
And finally, a score prediction?
If this was a couple of months ago I would have been very concerned. However, Palace have reached some good form to move clear of the relegation zone so it will be a tough game as last time out proved. Saying that, I think we're playing with confidence at the moment and if Coutinho and Sterling can produce the kind of performance that they've shown in recent weeks then I think they'll be the difference. I do think Palace will score but I'm going for 2-1 Liverpool on the basis that we've found a system that works really well and with it being the FA Cup we can't to be knocked out.
