Premier League
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Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace: Mohamed Salah double as Reds edge thriller

By Katie FalkinghamBBC Sport
Liverpool players celebrate Sadio Mane's late goal
Liverpool players celebrate Sadio Mane's late goal

Mohamed Salah scored twice - including his 50th Premier League goal - as Liverpool survived a scare by coming from behind to defeat a resolute Crystal Palace in a seven-goal thriller at Anfield.

The Reds led 3-2 as the final whistle of a topsy-turvy match approached, but after James Milner was sent off in the 89th minute for two yellow-card offences, it was a nervy ending as the Premier League leaders desperately tried to hold on to their lead.

The win was ultimately secured when Sadio Mane added a fourth in stoppage time, though there was still time for Max Meyer to score a consolation for the visitors.

Liverpool had dominated the vast majority of the first half at Anfield but it was Palace who broke the deadlock through Andros Townsend, who beat Alisson from close range after Wilfried Zaha pulled a cross back.

The hosts came out for the second period with goals on the agenda, and it took just one minute for Salah to equalise before they went ahead seven minutes later through Roberto Firmino.

Palace were not down and out just yet, though, and James Tomkins capitalised on poor defending to head his side level from a corner.

However, a calamitous error by Julian Speroni - making his first appearance since December 2017 - handed Liverpool an advantage they did not relinquish again, the visitors' keeper scooping the ball towards his own net for Salah to poke in from on the line.

With the rest of the top four yet to play this weekend, Liverpool remain seven points clear at the top of the table, while Crystal Palace stay 14th.

Liverpool battle through

Liverpool 4-3 Crystal Palace: Klopp hails 'world class' Salah after 'difficult' Palace win

It was a tense performance from start to finish on a day Liverpool were paying tribute to Bob Paisley, the club's most successful manager, before what would have been his 100th birthday on Wednesday.

Prior to Saturday's game, Liverpool had conceded just three goals at home all season, but that was soon to change as Roy Hodgson's Palace rolled into town.

Making his first start for the Reds since 11 December, Joel Matip had two early chances to open the scoring but Jurgen Klopp's side struggled to find a response after Townsend's goal.

Whatever Klopp said to his players in the dressing room at half-time worked, though, with Salah bringing his side level with a toe poke after Virgil van Dijk's long-range effort had deflected into his path off James McArthur.

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It was a goal that lifted the atmosphere at Anfield as Liverpool capitalised on the change of tempo, Firmino making no mistake with his right foot to put the Reds ahead.

Sloppy defending at a corner allowed Tomkins to equalise but Speroni soon gifted Liverpool the winner with a mistake he will not forget in a hurry, Salah tapping home from on the goalline for his half-century of top-flight strikes.

Three points were secured when Mane scored a simple goal, after Milner had been dismissed for two mistimed challenges on Zaha.

Liverpool have now won seven consecutive Premier League home games for the first time since January 2014, and extend their unbeaten league run at Anfield to 32 matches.

Palace give Reds a run for their money

Hodgson laments Speroni's 'really, really cruel' error

The Eagles have impressed against the Premier League's big guns this season, most notably their 3-2 win over second-placed Manchester City in December, and it looked as though they could pull off a repeat of that Etihad Stadium victory as they refused to allow Liverpool to play the football they wanted.

Never before had a Hodgson side conceded a goal against the Reds at Anfield and their opener, which was against the run of play, shocked Liverpool into silence and sent them into the break with the advantage.

Luck was on their side as their hosts struggled to supply the final pass. Even after Liverpool went ahead, Zaha and Patrick van Aanholt continued to be a nuisance for their defence and Tomkins' goal was a just reward for their resilience.

Hodgson made three substitutions in quick succession as Palace searched for an equaliser after Salah's second, with one of them, Jeffrey Schlupp, going close from a Van Aanholt free-kick.

Liverpool last conceded three goals at home in the league almost exactly a year ago when they beat Manchester City 4-3

Even Meyer's late strike - his first in a Palace shirt - proved not to be enough as Liverpool continued their journey towards the title despite conceding three at home in the league for the first time since a 4-3 win over Manchester City on 14 January 2018.

Man of the match - Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

Jordan Henderson hugs Jurgen Klopp at full-time
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson can sometimes go without credit, but he stayed calm when his side were under pressure with exceptional passing to create chances for his team

Liverpool bring up their 1,000 - match stats

  • Crystal Palace are the first Premier League team to score more than once at Anfield since February 2018, when Tottenham drew 2-2 with Liverpool.
  • Liverpool hit the 1,000 goal mark in home games in the Premier League, becoming only the third side to do so after Manchester United and Chelsea.
  • Crystal Palace keeper Julian Speroni (39 years 246 days) became the oldest player to make a Premier League appearance this season, and the oldest to appear in the competition since Shay Given (40 years 151 days) in September 2016.
  • Wilfried Zaha's assist for Palace's opener was his first goal involvement in his past 14 league games.
  • Palace's Andros Townsend scored his fourth league goal of the season, equalling his best in a Premier League campaign (also four in 2015-16).
  • Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored his 50th Premier League goal in his 72nd appearance in the competition - only Andrew Cole (65), Alan Shearer (66) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (68) have reached the milestone in fewer appearances.
  • Since Jurgen Klopp took over at Liverpool in October 2015, Roberto Firmino has been directly involved in 69 Premier League goals, more than any other player for the Reds (45 goals, 24 assists).
  • James Milner picked up his second red card for Liverpool in the league. He was also sent off against Crystal Palace in March 2016 after fouling Wilfried Zaha.
  • Liverpool's Sadio Mane has scored in his past four Premier League games against Palace, the first time he has netted four in a row against one opponent in the competition.

What's next?

Next weekend sees the FA Cup return so Liverpool, having been knocked out in the third round, now have a 10-day break before hosting Leicester in the league on Wednesday, 30 January (20:00 GMT kick-off).

Palace host Premier League rivals Tottenham in the FA Cup next Sunday (16:00) before travelling to Southampton in the league on 30 January (19:45).

Line-ups

Liverpool

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Alisson
  • 7MilnerBooked at 89mins
  • 32Matip
  • 4van Dijk
  • 26Robertson
  • 14Henderson
  • 3FabinhoSubstituted forLallanaat 87'minutes
  • 10Mané
  • 9Firmino
  • 8KeitaSubstituted forShaqiriat 71'minutes
  • 11SalahSubstituted forCamachoat 90+4'minutes

Substitutes

  • 15Sturridge
  • 18Moreno
  • 20Lallana
  • 22Mignolet
  • 23Shaqiri
  • 27Origi
  • 64Camacho

Crystal Palace

Formation 4-5-1

  • 1Speroni
  • 29Wan-Bissaka
  • 5Tomkins
  • 12Sakho
  • 3van Aanholt
  • 10Townsend
  • 18McArthurSubstituted forMeyerat 81'minutes
  • 4Milivojevic
  • 8KouyatéSubstituted forSchluppat 75'minutes
  • 11Zaha
  • 14J AyewBooked at 42minsSubstituted forWickhamat 81'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Dann
  • 7Meyer
  • 15Schlupp
  • 17Benteke
  • 21Wickham
  • 34Kelly
  • 41Tupper
Referee:
Jonathan Moss
Attendance:
53,171

Match Stats

Home TeamLiverpoolAway TeamCrystal Palace
Possession
Home71%
Away29%
Shots
Home19
Away9
Shots on Target
Home9
Away3
Corners
Home8
Away3
Fouls
Home6
Away8

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Liverpool 4, Crystal Palace 3.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Liverpool 4, Crystal Palace 3.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  4. Post update

    Offside, Liverpool. Adam Lallana tries a through ball, but Sadio Mané is caught offside.

  5. Goal!

    Goal! Liverpool 4, Crystal Palace 3. Max Meyer (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Connor Wickham.

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, Liverpool. Rafael Camacho replaces Mohamed Salah.

  7. Goal!

    Goal! Liverpool 4, Crystal Palace 2. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Andrew Robertson.

  8. Post update

    Adam Lallana (Liverpool) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace).

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Sadio Mané (Liverpool) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mohamed Salah following a fast break.

  11. Dismissal

    Second yellow card to James Milner (Liverpool) for a bad foul.

  12. Post update

    Foul by James Milner (Liverpool).

  13. Post update

    Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Liverpool. Adam Lallana replaces Fabinho because of an injury.

  15. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  16. Post update

    Delay in match Fabinho (Liverpool) because of an injury.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).

  18. Post update

    James Tomkins (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Liverpool. Conceded by Patrick van Aanholt.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Patrick van Aanholt with a cross following a set piece situation.

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As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Liverpool23193154134160
2Man City22172359174253
3Tottenham22160646222448
4Chelsea23145440192147
5Arsenal23135548321644
6Man Utd23135546331344
7Watford239683232033
8Wolves239592731-432
9Leicester2394102929031
10West Ham2394103034-431
11Everton238693433130
12Bournemouth2393113342-930
13Brighton2375112532-726
14Crystal Palace2364132332-922
15Southampton2357112540-1522
16Burnley2364132343-2022
17Newcastle2356121931-1221
18Cardiff2354141944-2519
19Fulham2235142049-2914
20Huddersfield2225151337-2411
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