PALACE SEEN OFF BY LIVERPOOL IN ATTACKING SHOOTOUT

  CRYSTAL PALACE 2 LIVERPOOL 4   BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT SELHURST PARK     Over the years when Crystal Palace play Liverpool at Selhurst Park there are guaranteed goals. And this one did not  disappoint. Jurgen Klopp loves to unleash his ammunition and so it turned out today as Palace decided to meet them

 

CRYSTAL PALACE 2 LIVERPOOL 4

 

BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT SELHURST PARK

 

 

Over the years when Crystal Palace play Liverpool at Selhurst Park there are guaranteed goals. And this one did not  disappoint. Jurgen Klopp loves to unleash his ammunition and so it turned out today as Palace decided to meet them fire for fire but came up short as Liverpool went level again with Man City and Arsenal. Palace on the other hand still cannot find home comfort as they continue to struggle at home.

 

Liverpool took the lead in the 15th minute.  Jordan Henderson was involved in some neat crisp passing and eventually the ball was worked to the left to Alberto Moreno who laid the ball back to Emre Caan who calmly swept the ball past Steve Mandanda. Although the goal was a well-worked one, the Palace defence stood still like statutes at Madam Tussauds. 

 

Palace were not feeling sorry for themselves though and within a minute a long punt from one end saw Loris Karius rush out of his goal and James McArthur brought the Eagles level as he headed past the stranded keeper.  This was turning into a crazy encounter as Liverpool had a corner, which, was taken by Philipe Coutinho and met with a bullet header from close range by Dejan Lovren to restore Liverpool’s lead.  Once again Palace’s marking was non-existent.

 

Every time Liverpool came forward they looked threatening. On the half hour mark Coutinho bobbed and weaved on the left and played the ball to Moreno who saw his shot cannon off the outside of the upright post. Palace were living dangerously and you sensed that if they give this rampant Liverpool side a two-goal lead there might be no way back.

 

Minutes later Palace got the ball down the other to Wilfried Zaha who crossed into the Liverpool area and once again McArthur rose above the Liverpool defence as he out jumped Lovren and powered yet another header past Karius to bring them back to parity again.

 

It seemed both teams were intent on attacking each other without paying much attention to the defence.  Roberto Firminho got down the right and crossed the ball to Coutinho who headed the ball goal wards but Mandanda pulled off a world class save from as he pushed the ball onto the post and it was cleared to safety. We had hardly got our breath back when Nathaniel Clyne put a cross from the right again, on a plate for Sadio Mane but he blazed his shot wide from close range.

 

Just when it looked like things had calmed down Liverpool won a corner just before the break, which was taken by Coutinho and Joel Matip headed past Mandanda to score his first goal for the reds and restore Liverpool’s lead. Liverpool led 2-3 at the break.

 

After the break the frenetic pace continued. Christian Benteke who was playing against his former club had a shot saved at the near post by Karius.  Mane was one on one with Mandanda but his shot was saved.  Just before the hour mark Yohan Cabaye teed up Benteke but his shot did not have enough power on it and Karius gathered the ball comfortably.

 

Just when Palace were on the brink of getting an equalizer Henderson played a killer pass to Firminho, which split the Palace defence and the Brazilian calmly dinked the ball over Mandanda who came out to make it 2-4 to Liverpool.   Palace though were not about to give up as they kept battling.  Zaha had a shot saved by Karius after wriggling free in the Liverpool area. 

 

Jason Puncheon who came on in the second half hit one from distance but it sailed over the bar.  Palace kept trying but Liverpool just had too much for them.   Jurgen Klopp’s favourite destination at the moment must be London having previously won at the Emirates and at Stamford Bridge and drawn at White Hart Lane.  Although this was a team performance by Liverpool the stars of the show were their Brazilians Firminho and Coutinho who were like stardust.

 

Klopp said: “ We could have scored more. Since I have been at Liverpool I have been happy with their character. We will work on our defence and see where it leads us. “

 

Alan Pardew said: “ It was a bit too open for us against a side like Liverpool. We did not start, as we would wish to.  They are as good as any team in the last third. Psychologically in that first half we did not get up the top of the pitch.  I thought McArthur was exceptional today and did not deserve to be on the losing side.”

Ayodele Odumade
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