Liverpool scored three goals against Crystal Palace with each of its starting four forwards playing their part, but Andoni Iraola knows there is so much more required from them

Perhaps the biggest cheer from the Crystal Palace crowd all game came when Bradley Barcola volleyed a shot high into the stands in the first half.

At that point, the Liverpool attacking unit looked disjointed both individually and collectively. And even by the time it had scored three goals, silencing Selhurst Park in the process, there was clearly still work to be done — the jeers, for the trio who each cost north of $150 million, can only be stopped one way.

Despite scoring three away at Crystal Palace and securing an important three points in the process, though, any analysis of how Andoni Iraola's attacking unit functioned feels a little contradictory.

On the one hand, it looked like a group of struggling stars for most of the game. Barcola was poor, Florian Wirtz saw the ball rebound off him like a wall a few times in the first half, and Cody Gakpo never really got going.

And yet, they each contributed to the victory. Wirtz scored and assisted, set up by Barcola, and Gakpo won the free kick that saw Alexis Mac Allister break the deadlock.

Without question, they all played their part, with Alexander Isak netting with one of the very few meaningful actions he produced all game. In doing so, they showed just a fraction of the potential that they have.

"I think when, in the second half, we are ahead, we can have spaces to attack, and it becomes much easier," Iraola said post-match. "Crystal Palace have to leave you a little bit more space and then you can find other situations in behind them. The first half, I think it was different.

"They were a lot lower, and especially at the beginning, I think we found good positions between the lines, but we were not giving the last pass properly.

"I think there was a situation from Florian, from Dom, just a better pass and we go against the goalkeeper. We haven't found it in the first half, but obviously after in the second half, when you are 1-0 up, I think you find better spaces and attacking becomes easier."

That Liverpool's forwards, collectively purchased for around $530 million (£400 million), all played from middling to poor, yet still came away with more than enough decisive moments to secure the points, can — and indeed should — be spun as a positive too.

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Iraola and those involved will know that much more is required from them as a unit — in time, the hope will be that it comes — but if they are scoring three while reaching a collective 6/10 at best, how good could they be when it clicks?

Wirtz scoring was important and it is a frustration, really, that the German must now go away with his national side rather than getting the chance to instantly build on it. At some point, Barcola will have to start showing signs of being worth the fee that was paid for him too.

Liverpool has generally won the matches that it would expect to win this term, however, and lost to two teams — Manchester City and Arsenal — that are accepted as being better. To close the gap, the attack is the thing that needs to click, but it was the difference here even when it didn't.