UK Edition
Liverpool move seven points clear at top of Premier League after thrilling win over Crystal Palace
It was just like the old days at Anfield. The title bid of 2014, that is, rather than the glorious Seventies and Eighties.Â
Nostalgia was pre-planned with Liverpool commemorating what would have been former manager Bob Paisley’s 100th birthday.
Such was the manner in which Jurgen Klopp’s side came from behind to win a thrilling game – they used to say Paisley’s side were never more dangerous when chasing a game, too – that you could be forgiven for thinking it had been choreographed.Â
In reality, Crystal Palace revived recent memories of the home team’s defensive lapses. For a prolonged period, Palace threatened to undermine Klopp’s challenge as they did that of Brendan Rodgers during that infamous “Crystanbul” night five years ago.
Perhaps it is another sign of the difference in this Liverpool side that they found a way to finish the right side of the goal spree.
Tough on Palace; further evidence of the robustness of the Anfield title bid.Â
“I’m pretty sure a lot of people thought today was the day we would lose it,” said Klopp, who admitted his overriding emotion at full time was one of relief.
“Nobody should be surprised about the character of the boys. They are ready to fight, that’s clear.Â
“It’s not the first time this season we had to do it, but it was pretty special and I really liked it.
“You always need a bit of luck in football, but the boys deserved these three points in a very difficult game.”Â
In a match in which there were two goals and a red card in injury time, the scoreline barely scratched the surface of the anxiety, skill and courage evident in both teams.Â
Roy Hodgson has never had a side play so well at Anfield, which is some achievement given that he once was the manager here.
Whatever respect he lacked while in the job may have been slightly repaired as home supporters applauded his team off the pitch.
Hodgson can lament that he was a first-choice goalkeeper away from a special victory over his former club given that 39-year-old Julian Speroni was at fault for at least one of Mohamed Salah’s two goals.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino ensured the efforts of Andros Townsend, James Tomkins and Max Meyer amounted to a supporting role in one of the season’s most memorable games.Â
It’s not as if Palace failed to issue a warning. Hodgson’s side proved that their recent victory at Manchester City was no fluke.Â
Hodgson’s footballing wisdom – the love of being the underdog – was ill-suited to Anfield. But a well-organised defence and speedy counter-attacking is always a potent weapon when you face high -class opponents.
Exactly that formula enabled Sam Allardyce to claim the last league away victory at Anfield for a visiting coach while with Palace in 2017.Â
No domestic visitors have caused Liverpool’s defence so much inconvenience this season, and no player has had the home supporters purring in envy like Wilfried Zaha. He is a seriously talented footballer and it can only be consistency that denies him the label world class. If he made this his weekly standard, he would ease into Champions League line-ups.Â
It was rather like Zaha was playing a lethal waiting game, hugging the left wing and springing to life as red shirts poured forward leaving increasing space behind.
For James Milner, especially, it was a rare, torrid afternoon as an emergency right-back in the absence of the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Consistently left in one-on-one situations, eventually he made one lunging tackle too many and was dismissed in injury time for his second bookable foul on Palace’s winger. Milner had a thankless task.
Inevitably, Zaha was the architect of Palace’s opener at The Kop end. With a turn of pace and cross into danger, he picked out Townsend after 34 minutes.Â
“He is playing well, he is in good form,” said Hodgson, always master of the understatement.Â
Liverpool found more energy after the break – no doubt fuelled by their coach – and equalised within a minute of the restart.
There was an element of luck in the build-up to the goal as Virgil Van Dijk’s 25-yard shot hit midfield player James McArthur and flew over the centre-backs directly to Salah. However, the finish from the Egyptian should not be overlooked in the rush to note the good fortune of the assist. It was a exquisite volley with the outside of the boot.Â
When Firmino put Liverpool ahead in 53 minutes, another deflection helping to deceive the increasingly vulnerable looking Speroni, it felt like order would return.
Instead, it triggered chaos, neither side in control of their defence, Mamadou Sakho’s propensity for playing backheels in his own penalty area a persistent source of danger and fun.Â
Palace responded when Townsend’s corner picked out Tomkins to equalise – unmarked from a header – and then Speroni made a blunder forgivable in a goalkeeper who thought he had played his final Premier League game a year ago.Â
Milner received Fabinho’s crossfield ball and Speroni shoved the cross to his own goalline. Salah’s swift reaction, nudging in from a yard, spared Speroni the embarrassment of an own goal.Â
The outstanding Fabinho’s hamstring injury and Milner’s dismissal kept Palace believing.
When Max Meyer completed the scoring in 94 minutes it had been coming, but Mane had already put enough distance between the sides with a clever finish on the counter-attack.Â
Had they played for another five minutes, there would have been a couple more goals.Â
“I am extremely proud. I thought it was a really good performance in every respect,” said Hodgson. “They have got a real wealth of talent that has been put together over a number of years and cost a fair amount. We held our own but they had more luck than us.Â
“A game like today – where they would be expected to cruise to victory – is a reminder there are few games in the Premier League where you can cruise to victory.”Â
Liverpool – of all clubs fighting for a first title in decades – need no such prompting of how mentally and physically draining every fixture will be.Â
So much of this felt like a replay of Selhurst Park, 2014. Liverpool can be thankful there was no Dwight Gayle in the Palace ranks this time.
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GOAL!!! Liverpool 4 Crystal Palace 2 (Mane 90+3')
GOAL! And that is that. Palace streak forward looking for the equaliser, and they find themselves exposed. Robertson does brilliantly to keep the ball in play and feed Mane. He's wasted a couple of openings but this time Mane canters into the box, and passes a cool finish into the far corner beyond Speroni.
GOAL!!!!! Liverpool 3 Crystal Palace 2 (Salah 75')
GOAL! Liverpool in front for a second time. Oh dear, Speroni, what one earth are you doing? Milner's volleyed cross from Fabinho's beautiful diagonal should be easily dealt with, but Speroni pushes the ball towards his own goal and Salah prods in from about a millimetre out.
GOAL!!!!! Liverpool 2 Crystal Palace 1 (Firmino 53')
GOAL! The turnaround is complete and Liverpool are in front. Firmino gathers Keita's pass just inside the area, works a yard and then takes a shot that deflects wickedly off Kouyate into the bottom corner. It wasn't the cleanest strike from Firmino but the deflection completely did for Speroni.
GOAL!!!! Liverpool 1 Crystal Palace 1 (Salah 46')
GOAL! Liverpool level right at the start of the second half. Van Dijk takes a speculative shot from about 35 yards out that deflects off McCarthur up into the air, and there's Salah to flick away a beautiful volleyed finish. Speroni could have come out and claimed that, but credit Salah for a superb finish.
GOAL!!!! Liverpool 0 Crystal Palace 1 (Townsend 34')
GOAL! Palace take a shock lead. McCarthur starts a counter with some quick feet in his own half and switches the play to Van Aanholt, who moves the ball on to Zaha. With Milner isolated, Zaha flies towards the byline and pulls the ball back for Townsend to sweep home from about 12 yards. Townsend loves scoring against the big boys, and it's another huge goal from him. Where did that come from??
34 min - Liverpool 0 Crystal Palace 0
Another big chance for Liverpool. Milner's pinpoint delivery from the right is met by Van Dijk but he can only head over from about 10 yards. It was a free header, and he probably should have scored. Liverpool then justifiably claim for a penalty when Townsend raises his hand and pushes the ball away from Mane.
Palace clinging on all of a sudden.
Kick-off
We're under way at Anfield. A reminder of the teams for this one:
Liverpool: Alisson, Milner, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino
Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Camacho, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi, Sturridge
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Wan-Bissaka, Sakho, Tomkins, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur, Townsend, Zaha, Ayew
Subs: Tupper, Kelly, Dann, Schlupp, Meyer, Benteke, Wickham
Familiar face
Christian Benteke scored 10 goals in 42 appearances during his solitary season at Liverpool in 2015-16. He's on the bench again for Palace as he steps up his return from injury. What he'd give for a goal today. Actually a goal anytime would be pretty good for Christian.
Klopp's reasoning
A little insight into the inner workings of Jurgen Klopp's mind...and the reasons behind James Milner and Naby Keita coming in. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Georginio Wijnaldum are both out while Xherdan Shaqiri drops to the bench.
We had a couple of issues during the week.
So I had to find solutions and I like the solution. Millie trained the position the whole week; Naby trained outstandingly well, so I like to show I see something like that.
And the rest was pretty clear and straightforward that we do it like this – because Gini and Trent are not ready for today. That’s it, that’s the reason for the line-up.
And in black and white
Liverpool: Alisson, Milner, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Keita, Mane, Salah, Firmino
Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Camacho, Lallana, Shaqiri, Origi, Sturridge
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Wan-Bissaka, Sakho, Tomkins, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic, Kouyate, McArthur, Townsend, Zaha, Ayew
Subs: Tupper, Kelly, Dann, Schlupp, Meyer, Benteke, Wickham
History repeated?
They couldn't do it again could they? A month on from their heroic, entirely unexpected win at Manchester City, Crystal Palace arrive at Anfield aiming to pull off another upset.
City will certainly be hoping Palace can spring another surprise, while Liverpool will be after as uneventful an afternoon as possible as they keep ticking off matches on their way, they hope, to a first title in 29 years.
Another sub-plot sees Roy Hodgson return to the scene of his hugely uninspiring half-season at Liverpool. As if he wasn't already unpopular enough, he might be slapped with an Anfield stadium ban if he pulls off a shock result this afternoon.
In theory, Liverpool should have little problem disposing of a team four points above the relegation zone and coming off the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Watford. With Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane all fit and in form, the Palace defenders - including former Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho - will be in for a very challenging afternoon. Palace will also be weakened by the absence of goalkeepers Vicente Guaita and Wayne Hennessey, which means a start for club veteran and cult hero Julian Speroni.
As for Liverpool, they have a defensive injury crisis of their own to deal with. Trent Alexander-Arnold's knee injury that will rule him out for a month was the last thing Jurgen Klopp needed with Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren already out, and Nathaniel Clyne joining Bournemouth on loan. Joel Matip's return is a timely boost, but Wilfried Zaha will still fancy his chances against Liverpool's weakened back four.
Palace have also made a habit of picking up points against the Premier League's big boys - as well as that City win, they have posted creditable draws against Arsenal and Manchester United.
We'll have team news at 2pm ahead of a 3pm kick-off.