Liverpool overtake Arsenal in title race after late show at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool (Mateta pen 57′ | Salah 76′, Elliott 90+1′)
SELHURST PARK — Jurgen Klopp can park his hatred of the early kick-off slot to one side for the time being.
For so long at Selhurst Park, Liverpool were off their game, a pale imitation of a team that has taken more Premier League points than any other side since 1 April and is challenging for the title.
Crystal Palace had the game’s first major chance, a penalty overturned after a VAR review and another given via the same process before Liverpool had even registered a shot on target. That their first came in the 76th minute was evidence of their struggles.
And yet it went in, a significant goal in Liverpool’s season and a landmark one for Mo Salah, simultaneously his 200th Liverpool goal and 150th in the Premier League, all but two of which have come for the Reds.
It wasn’t one of his more memorable ones, squirting into the bottom corner via a deflection from Nathaniel Clyne, but it was hugely consequential. Jordan Ayew’s controversial sending off less than a minute before also influenced the outcome, with 10-man Palace running out of steam when it mattered.
Wave after wave of Liverpool attack followed until Harvey Elliot converted their second shot on target in the first of 10 minutes added on with a purposeful effort beyond the substitute keeper Remi Matthews.
Even then it was not done, the returning Alisson blocking from Joachim Andersen at point-blank range to preserve three points that rarely looked like coming.
Defeat would have left Liverpool two points behind Arsenal with an extra game played. Instead, they overhauled them at the top before the Gunners’ meeting with Aston Villa later in the day.
It was a heartening if frustrating afternoon for Crystal Palace. A starting XI featuring neither Eberechi Eze nor Michael Olise automatically dials down their fun factor by several notches. Cheikh Doucoure and Tyrick Mitchell also missed out, with Odsonne Edouard and Sam Johnstone forced off with injuries during the game. An injury crisis to rival Spurs and Newcastle is developing.
But despite missing their two most creative players, Palace actually posed the bigger attacking threat for much of the contest.
Alisson scampered across his goal-line to palm Jefferson Lerma’s goalbound effort onto a post, and while it was a decent recovery stop it was one he should have been unable to make given the Colombian was completely unmarked at the back post.
Moments later Virgil van Dijk conceded a penalty for a trip on Edouard after Wataru Endo lost the ball to Will Hughes on the edge of the box. Again Liverpool were granted a reprieve as Andy Madley overturned his decision for a foul on Endo after reviewing the incident on his pitchside monitor. It was the right call but that didn’t prevent home fans from chanting “F___ VAR!” in response.
Liverpool were slow in possession, lacked intensity off the ball and were fortunate to go in level at half-time. A skewed Trent Alexander-Arnold pass that found touch rather than a teammate was symptomatic of their flawed performance.
Premier League 150 club
- Alan Shearer – 260 goals
- Harry Kane – 213
- Wayne Rooney – 208
- Andy Cole – 187
- Sergio Aguero – 184
- Frank Lampard – 177
- Thierry Henry – 175
- Robbie Fowler – 163
- Jermain Defoe – 162
- Michael Owen/Mo Salah – 150
Endo was the fall guy, replaced by Joe Gomez with Alexander-Arnold nudged into central midfield for the second half but the tweak failed to have the desired effect.
Palace sensed an opportunity and 10 minutes after the restart they benefited from a VAR intervention when Madley gave a penalty for a foul by Jarell Quansah on Jean-Philippe Mateta 105 seconds after the incident had occurred. The Frenchman, on at half-time for Edouard, calmly rolled the ball down the middle to put Palace in front.
Still, the Liverpool onslaught did not come. Free-kicks were flung into the box but lacked requisite accuracy. Darwin Nunez barely had a kick all afternoon and was taken off as his side sought to overturn a deficit.
Fresh impetus was provided when Ayew earned a second yellow card for pulling back Elliott after previously being cautioned for preventing a free-kick from being taken. The punishment was instant, Salah converting a scruffy equalsier after pinball in the box, before Elliott completed the comeback.
Arsenal have made a habit of winning matches at the death. Here was proof that Liverpool can do it too.
