English Premier League: Palace thumped by Liverpool - as it happened

Well, well well. Now that is a statement of intent for Jurgen Klopp's boys on a title defence in the English Premier League. Six points clear, goal difference aganist Tottenham more than negated. Happy days at Anfield...

My oh my. Salah goes one better with a goal-of-the season contender as he cuts inside from the right and curls home a beauty with his left foot - on the postage-stamp in the top-left corner - even though we don't put stamps there...

Salah rubs salt in the wounds (woo-hoo, my Fantasy points are going up!) and Palace are sinking. 

Firmino bags his second as the Palace defence ball-watches and allows Salah's delivery to fing the Brazilian in acres of space to boost that goal-difference. 

Poor old Roy Hodgson can only laugh at that goal. What to do, Roy? Liverpool are switched on and look ready for a real title tilt. 

Clinical. A perfect goal to secure the three points. Trent Alexander-Arnold tees up skipper Jordan Henderson, who slots home a perfect side-footer - touching the side-netting to leave the keeper with no chance

Back under way. Damage limitation for Palace now are Liverpool look to add to their plus-goal-difference tally.

This is the Liverpool we know from last season. Finally they are showing their true title credentials with a dominant performance against no-pushovers Palace. Minamino, Sane and Firmino (guess who made Salah his captain this week... typical) on the scoresheet and this will be one-way traffic in the second half. 

Told you! Firmino dinks home with the outside of his boot after a lovely cross from Scotsman Andy Robertson split the Palace defence. Roy Hodgson has a big half-time talk if Palace are to salavge anything from this...  

Sadio Mane has Liverpool on Easy Street with a second before the break. Firmino threads the ball through and the Senegalese times his run t perfecrtion to beat the offside trap and beat Guaita in the Palace goal. Could be a long day... 

Now back to the action. It has got a bit tentative at Selhurst Park after that bright opening. Wilfried Zaha could and possibly should have set up Palace for level terms but Jordan Ayew is robbed by Fabinho as he is about to tap home. Right off the toes....

As promised, a bit belated but the teams are with you..

"Liverpool are looking good for defending their title, and the fans are certainly optimistic," says Craig Leader, manager of Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. "While we have plenty of Christmas bookings, we have just as many bookings for Boxing Day and beyond, reserving tables for the Loverpool matches now the good times are back after a recent wobble." 

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita (GK), van Aanholt, Cahill, Kouyate, Clyne, Eze, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp, Zaha, Ayew. Subs: Butland (GK),Ward, Tomkins, Dann, Townsend, McCarthy, Batshuayi, Mitchell, Riedewald
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Fabinho, Robertson, Keita, Henderson (c), Wijnaldum, Minamino, Firmino, Mane. Subs: Adrian (GK), Kelleher (GK), Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Origi, Williams, Phillips, Williams.

Didn't even get time to breathe! Minamino pops up at the far post to give Liverpool the lead in the third minute. Christmas is already looking more jovial on Merseyside. 

Hello and welcome to the big one from the Premier League as Liverpool aim to go six points clear at the top of the table. We had a wee technical glitch ahead of kick-off, but will get you all up to date.