Four takeaways from Crystal Palace’s 3-1 loss against Liverpool – A tale of two 45 minutes as VAR and Kevin Friend kill hope of Palace’s fightback

Despite Odsonne Edouard bringing Crystal Palace back into the game, after two first-half goals from Virgil Van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a controversial late penalty saw Fabinho wrap up all three points for Liverpool.

Patrick Vieira made two changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Brighton last time out – Jean-Philippe Mateta and Vicente Guaita replacing Eberechi Eze and Jack Butland.

Mateta started the game as the lone forward, with Michael Olise and Odsonne Edouard providing support from the flanks.

Here are Edmund Brack’s four takeaways from the match at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

PALACE FAIL TO LEARN CORNER LESSON 

While the rest of the Premier League may perceive Crystal Palace as one of Liverpool’s bogey teams, you have to go back to April 2017 for the last time the South Londoners snatched points away from Jurgen Klopp’s side. And it only took the visitors eight minutes to open the scoring at Selhurst on Sunday.

All three of Liverpool’s goals at Anfield in late September came from corners, so when Van Dijk was left unmarked inside the area from a pinpoint Andy Robertson corner, there was only ever going to be one inevitable outcome.

An error of miscommunication between Joachim Andersen and Jeffrey Schlupp allowed the Dutch defender to rise highest inside the area and guide a powerful header past Vicente Guaita.

While Palace have found a remedy to deal with their early season frailties from defending set-pieces and the second phase of play, Liverpool’s opener was an easy and needless gift.

JOACHIM ANDERSEN’S BEST GAME IN A CRYSTAL PALACE SHIRT

It would usually be unnatural to write about a defender having their best game for a club when they have conceded three goals during the contest, but Joachim Andersen’s performance on Sunday exhibited elegance.

The 25-year-old, who moved from Lyon to Selhurst Park in the summer after impressing on a season-long loan with Fulham, has shown glimmers of his premium performances that caught the eyes of the Palace hierarchy.

However, the sparks of brilliance have also been met by awkward moments, such as during the 2-2 draw with Leicester when Andersen had the ball robbed from him or when Michail Antonio brushed him aside in the 2-2 draw at the London Stadium.

On Sunday, Andersen left Palace fans purring.

The Danish centre-back won a match-high of 10 clearances, played the most accurate long balls of the match (11), made two interceptions, completed two tackles, won the most aerial battles of the match with six and won both of his ground duels.

MICHAEL OLISE TORMENTS ANDREW ROBERTSON

With Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Wilfried Zaha all missing from the occasion, the lack of wizardry from a wide position could have been under threat. But Michael Olise, who made his third consecutive start under Vieira, didn’t shy away from the opposition.

There is a carefree fearlessness to Olise’s game, and he was more than prepared to shoulder Palace’s creative burden against a defence that consisted of world-class individuals.

The 20-year-old Hayes-born winger created two big chances during the match and should have been rewarded with an assist. However, Conor Gallagher failed to divert his header towards goal, and Alisson somehow saved Mateta’s first-half chance.

Olise’s overflowing confidence was highlighted when he attempted to lob the ball over Alisson after latching on to Andersen’s pinpoint pass. Nevertheless, and much to the frustration of everyone inside Selhurst Park, the Brazilian goalkeeper once again proved a stubborn character to get past.

A TALE OF TWO 45’S AS EXTERNAL FACTORS KILL THE GAME

While VAR, and Kevin Friend’s inability to stick with his original call, played a significant factor in the outcome of the game, Palace’s first-half performance made their efforts to claw back a point a more arduous task.

The Eagles were swarmed by Liverpool’s relentless press in the first half, and the unbalanced midfield three of Conor Gallagher, Jeffrey Schlupp and Will Hughes lost possession seven times.

With Cheikhou Kouyate still on international duty with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, his presence and ability to sit just in front of the back four to protect the defensive line has been sorely missed in recent weeks.

But after half-time, which has become a common theme under Vieira, Palace’s pressure picked up, and their intensity levels rose.

With Schlupp sitting deeper as the anchor, Palace started to find joy down the right hand side and through the centre of the pitch.

After Edouard halved the deficit when he tapped home Jean-Philippe Mateta’s unselfish cutback, Vieira added even more energy to the game by introducing Christian Benteke, Jordan Ayew and Eberechi Eze to claim a point from the jaws of defeat.

Despite the late penalty killing the hope, a combination of a brilliant Alisson and a lack of composure only halted Palace from earning a deserved point.

If Patrick Vieira can find a way of drawing that second half performance over the full 90 minutes during the mini winter break, the Eagles could start to find a formula similar to the one that achieved a six-game unbeaten run earlier in the season.