Liverpool shrugged off the sacking of manager Matt Beard to claim a 1-0 win over bottom side Crystal Palace, for whom new boss Leif Smerud was taking charge for the first time.

Beard’s second term at the club was ended on Thursday after managing just four league wins all season.

His assistant Amber Whiteley was placed in temporary charge and oversaw only a second victory in the last eight league fixtures, thanks to Yasmine Matthews’ early goal.

It meant a losing start for experienced Norwegian manager Smerud, who was appointed Palace manager on Saturday a day after Laura Kaminski was sacked having won just once since leading the team to promotion as Championship winners last season.

The decisive goal came in the 10th minute from defender Matthews on her first appearance of 2025 after injury.

Palace failed to clear a corner and Gemma Bonner hooked the ball goalwards where it cannoned off Matthews’ thigh.

However, the Liverpool defender reacted quickest to poke a close-range shot through a crowd of players to beat goalkeeper Shae Yanez.

Marie Hobinger had already planted a header wide and Sophie Roman Haug just failed to double their lead from the Austrian’s free-kick.

Palace’s Abbie Larkin forced the only real save from Rachel Laws just before half-time.

Matthews was replaced at the interval and while the second half was more equal, Laws was not really tested again until late on as Palace slipped to an 11th defeat in 15 league matches.