Liverpool went top of the Premier League table after a late comeback win at 10-man Crystal Palace, as the Reds won 2-1.
WATCH CRYSTAL PALACE v LIVERPOOL FULL REPLAY
After impressing in the first half, Crystal Palace took a deserved lead early in the second as a lengthy VAR review awarded a penalty kick for a foul on Jean-Philippe Mateta and he scored the spot kick to have the Eagles dreaming a much-needed win.
SALAH REACTION TO 200TH GOAL, TITLE HOPES
However, Jordan Ayew was then sent off after two silly yellow cards (the second was a little harsh) and that swung the game in Liverpool’s favor late on. They scored with their first shot on target as Mohamed Salah scored his 200th goal for Liverpool and his 150th in the Premier League to make it 1-1.
Then substitute Harvey Elliott won it in stoppage time with a fine effort as there was still time for Alisson to make another superb stop to deny Palace’s Joachim Andersen an equalizer in the 100th minute. Liverpool moved on to 37 points, while Palace remain on 16 and are looking over their shoulder towards the relegation zone.
Resilient Liverpool right to believe they’re in the title race
The look on Mohamed Salah’s face said it all when asked afterwards about Liverpool being in the title race. He said he can see similarities to their title-winning team from 2019-20 and these late wins are now pilling up as nobody has picked up more points (18) from losing positions than Liverpool in the Premier League this season. It wasn’t pretty, at all, at Palace as Liverpool’s first shot on target was Salah’s goal in the 76th minute. But just like they did at Sheffield United in midweek and against Fulham before that, they ground out wins when not playing at their best. There is still a lot of improvement in this Liverpool side and that must be very encouraging for Klopp as they momentarily went top of the table despite not being anywhere near their best for large chunks of the season so far. With players making a big impact off the bench (Harvey Elliott was the hero on Saturday, while Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones also had a hand in their first goal), new signings adding an extra dimension to their midfield and general play, plus experienced leaders like Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Salah and Alexander-Arnold all stepping up, there is a great balance about this Liverpool side. Something is building at Liverpool again and these machine-like wins are stacking up.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool player ratings
Via our friends at FotMob.com you can see Salah, Alexander-Arnold, Alisson and Virgil van Dijk all stood tall as Liverpool’s experienced players made a big difference. Crystal Palace’s midfield was very good for the first 60 minutes as Will Hughes and Jefferson Lerma pinned Liverpool in and stopped them from finding their forwards.
What’s next?
Crystal Palace travel to Manchester City on Saturday, Dec. 16. Liverpool head to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the Europa League on Thursday, Dec. 14. then host bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday, Dec. 17 in the Premier League.
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Liverpool live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 7:30am ET (Saturday, Dec. 9)
TV Channel: USA Network
Online: Stream online via NBCSports.com
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool live updates! - By Joe Prince-Wright
FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
What a strange game that was. Palace were great for the first 60 minutes but then crumbled after Ayew was sent off and Liverpool finally woke up late in the game to grab another huge comeback win. Jurgen Klopp will be very relieved with that victory after a below par display.
Alisson saves down low to deny Andersen in the 100th minute!
What a stop from Alisson as a free kick from the right is swung in and Joachim Andersen’s header should go in but Alisson saves.
Harvey Elliott surely wins it in the 91st minute! - Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool (91st minute)
Harvey Elliott with a beauty of a goal just as they clock ticks past 90 minutes. Liverpool have surely won it late on against Crystal Palace. Elliott has been superb since he came off the bench and drives towards goal and smashes a beauty into the bottom corner. The away end goes bonkers, and rightly so. Liverpool have finally woken up late on.
Mohamed Salah makes it 1-1! Crystal Palace 1-1 Liverpool (76th minute)
Straight away Liverpool make their one-man advantage count. The ball is pin-balling around in the box, it looks like a penalty kick could be given but the ball drops to Salah and his shot deflects in. Game on!
Jordan Ayew sent off
After trying to block a free kick he picks up a yellow card, then Ayew picks up a second yellow card for a foul on Harvey Elliott and he is off. Seemed a bit harsh. Can Palace hang on?
Liverpool have not got going at all
We are 25 minutes from the full time whistle and Liverpool are yet to have a shot on target. Pretty incredible. Klopp looks furious on the sidelines.
Palace take the lead from the penalty spot! Crystal Palace 1-0 Liverpool - Jean-Philippe Mateta (57th minute)
Penalty kick to Crystal Palace! Referee Andy Madley has gone to the pitch-side monitor to check a potential penalty kick. VAR was checking the foul for a long, long time. Quansah catches Mateta and doesn’t touch the ball as he swings his leg at a clearance. That is a penalty and that check was going on for ages while the game continued. Klopp, as you would expect, looks far from happy. Mateta slots home the penalty and Selhurst goes wild. 1-0 to the hosts and you can’t say they don’t deserve it.
Half time: Crystal Palace 0-0 Liverpool
That was a very solid first half from Palace and they had the best chance of the half as Alisson denied Lerma, plus a penalty kick awarded to Palace was overturned by the referee after a VAR check following a foul by Will Hughes. Liverpool showed very little in attack and that was mostly down to how hard Palace worked defensively.
Penalty kick taken away after pitch-side VAR review
A penalty kick was awarded for a clear foul by Virgil van Dijk in the box but VAR asked referee Andy Madley to check the decision on the pitch-side monitor after Will Hughes fouled Wataru Endo in the build-up. Madley overturns the award of the penalty kick and it was a clear foul by Hughes. That was a clear foul by Hughes. Correct decision.
Amazing save from Alisson to keep it level
What a save from Alisson! He somehow saves Jefferson Lerma’s shot and then it hits the post and Trent Alexander-Arnold hooks clear before it spins over the line. Incredible from the Brazilian star.
A little pre-match reading here, as Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was asked about Manchester City and their recent struggles
“If somebody would write City off that would be the biggest joke in the history of football,” Jurgen Klopp said after Liverpool’s win at Sheffield United in midweek.
“Arsenal are fighting and had a similar experience we had [late win vs Fulham]. It feels really good but anyway you have to start the next game from 0-0. Aston Villa is incredible. United is there, don’t play yet maybe exactly the football whoever wants - the media or whatever - but they have points like crazy.
“Chelsea, I’m not sure if they’re coming. The league is incredibly strong, you need to be lucky to get through difficult moments, with injuries especially. So I have no clue [who will win the title]. “Probably. It was the last years, always two. I’m not interested in that, so long as we’re around there. But it’s so difficult and intense. Ask me again in April.”
Crystal Palace lineup
Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Clyne; Lerma, Hughes, Schlupp, Richards, Ayew, Edouard
Liverpool lineup
Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Endo, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Diaz, Salah, Nunez
Focus on Crystal Palace, team news
OUT: Eberechi Eze (ankle), Dean Henderson (thigh), Rob Holding (ankle), Cheick Doucoure (achilles - out for season), Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh)
Focus on Liverpool, team news
OUT: Alisson (thigh), Diogo Jota (undisclosed), Joel Matip (knee), Andrew Robertson (shoulder), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (groin)