Liverpool came out on top this afternoon at Anfield in a thrilling 4-3 win at Anfield over Crystal Palace. A brace from Mo Salah and a goal each for Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane helped carry Liverpool over the line. However, it wasn’t easy for the Reds. Crystal Palace battled hard and threatened them throughout the afternoon in what was a fantastic game for the neutral.
Liverpool Overcome Crystal Palace
First Half
Liverpool dominated the early exchanges, but never really threatened the Palace goal. The Eagles defended deep but contained the hosts to passing in front of them.
The first real chance came to Sadio Mane from a corner. He met the ball into the box from James Milner but could only head it straight at Julian Speroni. Liverpool were limited to these chances for most of the first half.
It was Palace who struck first, surprisingly. James McArthur played it out Patrick van Aanholt who advanced before passing it to Wilfried Zaha on the left wing. Zaha then took it past James Milner, who was filling in at right-back, before cutting it back to Andros Townsend who slotted it home for 1-0.
It was fortunate for Townsend, as replays showed he could have given away a penalty for handball only moments earlier.
Palace survived until half-time without much further threat from Liverpool. There were dubious calls for a penalty after Mo Salah went down in the box. However, replays showed referee Jon Moss was correct not to give it.
Second Half
Liverpool came out of the blocks and scored within a minute of the half beginning. A shot from Virgil van Dijk spiralled high into the penalty area and caught out Julian Speroni in the Palace goal. Speroni was caught in no man’s land, allowing Mo Salah to delicately finish past the Argentinian.
Liverpool’s second of the afternoon came shortly after. Roberto Firmino’s shot from inside the area caught a deflection and left Speroni straggling to keep it out. He failed to do so, and Klopp’s men went ahead.
As the pressure from Liverpool lowered, Palace grew back into the game. They constantly threatened James Milner at right-back and ultimately found a way through for their second. A 65th-minute corner was floated in by Luka Milivojevic and found James Tomkins unmarked at the back post. Tomkins rose and headed it across the goal and into the opposite corner to equalise. It was only their second shot on target of the game.
The game then turned back into Liverpool’s favour, and it was a moment to forget for Palace keeper Julian Speroni. He had a mix up of errors after coming for a cross, and Salah was left free to tap into an empty net. It was unfortunate for Speroni, as he was making his first start in over a year.
The game wasn’t finished there. In the 89th minute James Milner received a second yellow for a foul on Wilfried Zaha. A small glimmer of hope for the Eagles.
However, it wasn’t meant to be as Liverpool got their fourth in the 93rd minute. They broke away on the counter, and a pass from Andy Robertson found Sadio Mane who placed it into the bottom right corner.
This crazy game still wasn’t over though, as Palace got their third in the 95th minute. A long ball forward was flicked down by substitute Connor Wickham and into the path of Max Meyer. The German carefully placed it and beat Alisson for his first goal of the season. Despite the last gasp pressure from Palace, it remained 4-3.
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