Crystal Palace 1 Liverpool 2 – Tomkins goal controversially ruled out as Eagles can’t slow Reds march

BY SAM SMITH

Crystal Palace failed to make the most of a late equaliser as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Wilfried Zaha’s first goal of the season had the Eagles level on 82 minutes, but Roberto Firmino fired in the winner almost immediately.

Sadio Mane had given the visitors the lead early in the second half. Palace defender James Tomkins had a goal contentiously disallowed by VAR in the first period.

An excellent block by Tomkins denied Mane a goal inside 10 minutes after Trent Alexander-Arnold had too easily got the better of Patrick van Aanholt on the Eagles left.

Palace grew into the game and applied far more early pressure than they had done in the 2-0 defeat at Chelsea before the international break. Zaha had an effort blocked before Jordan Ayew somehow stabbed wide when he was picked out by Cheikhou Kouyate.

Without the usually influential Joel Matip, the visitors lacked the defensive solidity with which they have become so accustomed under Jurgen Klopp. Virgil van Dijk was forced into two last-ditch tackles to deny Jordan Ayew a route to goal. Gary Cahill had a header flick off the top of the crossbar.

VAR controversially denied Palace the opening goal. Tomkins headed in at the back post from a Luka Milivojevic free-kick, but after a lengthy review by Chris Kavanagh at Stockley Park, Ayew was adjudged to have fouled Dejan Lovren. In truth, the forward had only slightly nudged the Liverpool defender.

Mane should have done far better than shoot wide when through on goal a few minutes into the second half, but the Senegalese put the Reds ahead moments later. The Liverpool number 10 swivelled and fired goalwards, Vicente Guaita tipped the shot on to the post but Van Aanholt failed to prevent the ball from squirming over the goal-line.

Palace continued to threaten after going behind, albeit from long range. Andros Townsend forced a good save from Alisson before Milivojevic’s speculative half-volley from 35 yards was well held by the Brazilian.

The Eagles’ most potent attacks were prompted when Zaha and Townsend were allowed space to run at their opposing full backs. The former almost teed up Ayew but for a good challenge by Van Dijk – calls for a VAR review and a subsequent penalty seemed almost in jest.

Guaita was excellent in the Palace goal and was unfortunate not to keep out Mane’s goal. He kept the score down when Roberto Firmino ran through on goal but the Spaniard flicked the striker’s dinked effort wide.

Liverpool’s failure to net a second saw them retreat further, a rare surge into the Reds’ third ended with substitute Christian Benteke acrobatically firing inches wide against his former club.

Benteke was excellent following his introduction and was influential in Palace finally equalising eight minutes from time. Zaha played the Belgian in down the left-hand channel, Benteke stayed strong and shrugged off several challenges before passing to Townsend, who found the Ivorian and he rolled the ball beyond Alisson.

Liverpool regained the lead almost immediately. The hosts failed to clear a set piece and Firmino was left in too much space to fire into the corner of the net.

Zaha had Palace’s best chance to equalise in added-time. He broke the offside trap after a corner had only been half-cleared but miscued his strike, firing over the bar.

PICTURES BY KEITH GILLARD