Sadio Mane and James Milner gave Liverpool a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace.

Milner opened the scoring on the stroke of half time when ex-Reds defender Mamadou Sakho hauled down Mohamed Salah in the penalty area.

The hosts had to see out the game with 10 men as Aaron Wan-Bissaka was dismissed for a last-ditch challenge when Salah was clear through on goal.

Jurgen Klopp’s side had to wait until added time in the second half to consolidate their victory as Mane coolly slotted home from a counter-attack.

Here were the key talking points from Selhurst Park:

Mane reclaims centre-stage

 

Mohamed Salah’s arrival and subsequent exploits had left Sadio Mane facing an uphill battle to reclaim the top billing in Liverpool’s forward line.

Injuries took their toll on the winger after an impressive start to life at Anfield. The tables, however, appear to be turning back in his favour once more.

Scoring his third goal of the season in just two matches showed what the Reds have been missing from Mane since his breakthrough two seasons ago.

Both the Senegal international’s pace and guile have returned with a vengeance, typified by his surging run in stoppage time to wrap up the win.

Given his influence and emphatic haul last term, Salah retains a top billing but it is Mane who is again taking centre-stage for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Premiums already paying off for Reds

 

You really do get what you pay for.

Costing just shy of £150 million, Liverpool’s new defensive spine flies in the face of previously being penny-wise and pound-foolish in the transfer market.

The impact of such heavy spending was evident for all to see at Selhurst Park.

Virgil van Dijk remains the greatest triumph of Klopp’s recruitment strategy with a flawless performance. He literally did not put a foot wrong.

Statistics showed the Dutch centre-back had a 100% execution rate for tackles while also winning nine of the visitors’ 13 successful aerial duels.

Behind him, Alisson Becker is already proving a safe pair of hands with several vital stops and commanding his area when dealing with corners.

Liverpool’s hefty outlay is already beginning to reap a handsome reward.

Counter-attack, attack, attack

 

Palace’s set pieces carried a sense of inevitability that it would lead to goals.

Unfortunately the hosts never really stood a chance of being the beneficiaries of them due to Jurgen Klopp’s side executing waves of counter-attacks.

Salah and Mane combined to routinely put the Eagles on the back foot; most notably as Aaron Wan-Bissaka denied the former a goal-scoring opportunity.

Though largely off-key with his shooting, the Egyptian was still able to influence proceedings with a through ball to Mane to double the score line.

The travelling Kop may need to rework its ritual cry of ‘attack, attack, attack!’

Selhurst test points to title tilt

 

Even at this early stage of the season, Liverpool are being touted as legitimate challengers to Manchester City for the Premier League title.

Trouncing a poor West Ham side may not have been a reliable indicator but passing another Selhurst test with flying colours should not be taken lightly.

South London still holds painful memories for Liverpool after they all but surrendered the 2013/14 crown in their previous see-saw battle with City.

This latest victory, however, showed how far they have come since then.

Even for Klopp’s tenure, which had previously seen a breathless 4-2 win and last season’s smash-and-grab affair, it constituted measurable progress.

A balmy Monday night in August may go some way to putting the ghost of ‘Crystanbul’ to rest.