Liverpool ensured that they would be present in next season's Champions League courtesy of a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in Sunday's Premier League clash at Anfield.
The Reds entered the contest knowing that a victory would all but guarantee a top-four position in the table, and Jurgen Klopp's side got the job done on home soil courtesy of a double from Sadio Mane.
Liverpool have actually finished the season in third position, with Chelsea claiming fourth ahead of Leicester City despite Thomas Tuchel's side suffering a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa.
Palace made a bright start to the contest, with Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend both coming close early on, but Liverpool grew into the match and should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Rhys Williams had the freedom of the away side's penalty box, but he somehow headed over the crossbar.
Mohamed Salah then brought a smart save from Vicente Guaita in the spell that followed, as the Reds started to find gaps in the Palace backline approaching the half-hour mark at a noisy Anfield.
The breakthrough arrived in the 36th minute when Mane bundled the ball home from close range after Palace had failed to deal with a corner inside their own box.
Liverpool continued to dominate the ball in the second period, but clear chances were few and far between, with just one goal separating the two sides heading into the final 20 minutes of action.
Mane put the game beyond Palace in the 74th minute, though, when his deflected effort from inside the penalty box found its way into the back of the net.
Klopp's side end the season in third, just five points behind second-placed Manchester United, while Palace have dropped down into 14th position, finishing with 44 points from their 38 matches.
HIGHLIGHTS
4th min: Zaha breaks into a shooting position, and the attacker's effort is kept out by Alisson Becker, with Palace making a bright start to the contest.
6th min: Smart save from Alisson to keep out a dipping free kick from Townsend, who had been attempting to pick out the top corner from a wide area.
14th min: Huge chance for Palace to take the lead as Townsend races through on the Liverpool goal after a mistake from Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the attacker misses the far post.
18th min: Alexander-Arnold just misses the top corner with a brilliant free kick from distance.
20th min: Incredible chance for the home side as Williams finds himself free inside the Palace box, but the centre-back somehow misses the target with a header from close range.
23rd min: Super save from Guaita this time to keep out a strike from Mohamed Salah, who had found himself free inside the away side's penalty area.
CHANCE FOR LIVERPOOL! 🔴
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 23, 2021
Mo Salah latches on to a through ball over the top but hits it straight at Guaita!
📺 Watch #LIVCRY on Sky Sports Main Event pic.twitter.com/zIBSPcUjd7
32nd min: Mane clips wide of the post, as Liverpool threaten once again, with Georginio Wijnaldum breaking into the Palace box before sliding a pass into his teammate.
36th min: Liverpool make the breakthrough in the 36th minute of the contest as Mane converts from close range after Palace fail to deal a corner.
MASSIVE GOAL FOR LIVERPOOL! 🔴
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 23, 2021
Sadio Mane scraps it over the line from the corner and that goal sees Liverpool back into the Champions League spots!
📺 Watch #LIVCRY on Sky Sports Main Event 📺 pic.twitter.com/5uoY66aaJf
53rd min: Smart save from the Palace goalkeeper to keep out a header from Roberto Firmino, who had met a dangerous cross from the left; Williams then heads the resulting corner over the crossbar.
74th min: Liverpool have their second of the match in the 74th minute of the contest, as Mane's deflected effort finds the back of the net after smart work from Salah.
The goal that secures Liverpool Champions League football? 🔴
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 23, 2021
Mane's shot is deflected past Guaita and Liverpool double their lead!
📺 Watch #LIVCRY on Sky Sports Main Event pic.twitter.com/Mo4ae19mNT
80th min: Salah misses the far post with a curling effort, as Liverpool threaten to score a third to truly put the match beyond Palace entering the final 10 minutes.
85th min: Guaita does well to claw the ball away inside the Palace box, as Salah's effort is deflected towards the bottom corner.
MAN OF THE MATCH - SADIO MANE
© Reuters
It would be fair to say that Mane has not had the best of seasons for Liverpool, with the attacker falling below the standards that he has previously set.
However, the Senegal international was in excellent form against Palace on Sunday afternoon, making the breakthrough in the first period and causing all sorts of problems with his pace and movement.
The 29-year-old's 10th Premier League goal of the campaign was a big one, and he followed it up with a second late on to put the match beyond Palace, who did not offer anything in the second period.
STANDOUT MOMENT
© Reuters
Palace had a wonderful chance to make the breakthrough in the 14th minute of the contest when Townsend broke into a one-on-one situation with Alisson, but the attacker missed the far post.
The Eagles had made a bright start to the contest and also had an early sighting of the Liverpool goal through Zaha, but both opportunities came to nothing, and the home side took control shortly after.
On another day, Townsend would have found the back of the net and made Anfield a very nervy stadium, but it just was not to be for the 29-year-old, who finishes the season with just one league goal to his name.
BEST STAT
8 - Sadio Mane (vs Crystal Palace) has become just the second player to score in eight consecutive Premier League appearances against an opponent, after Robin van Persie against Stoke. Hateful.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 23, 2021
MATCH STATS
Possession: Liverpool 70%-30% Crystal Palace
Shots: Liverpool 19-5 Crystal Palace
Shots on target: Liverpool 5-4 Crystal Palace
Corners: Liverpool 14-1 Crystal Palace
Fouls: Liverpool 10-8 Crystal Palace
LINEUPS
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Williams, Robertson (Oxlade-Chamberlain 90'); Thiago, Fabinho, Wijnaldum (Milner 78'); Mane, Firmino (Jota 90'), Salah
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-3-3): Guaita; Ward, Tomkins (Schlupp 58'), Cahill, Mitchell; Kouyate (Kelly 89'), McCarthy (Van Aanholt 88'), Riedewald; Townsend, Ayew, Zaha
No Data Analysis info
