Palace 1 Liverpool 2

SUMMARY:

• Two changes for Palace as Clyne and Hughes replace Mitchell and Olise
• Visitors apply early pressure but Ward makes key interventions
• Lerma denied by combination of fine Alisson save, the post and Alexander-Arnold
• Edouard wins penalty but VAR reverts decision for a foul in the build-up
• Eagles continue to defend stoutly and threaten on the break
• Hughes blocks from Szoboszlai in first-half stoppage time
• HT: Palace 0-0 Liverpool
• Mateta on for Edouard for Palace at half-time
• Núñez heads wide from drilled Díaz cross
• VAR awards Palace penalty for foul on Mateta, who converts from 12 yards
• Van Dijk comes close to levelling moments later
• Ayew picks up second yellow card with 15 minutes remaining
• Deflection helps Salah draw Liverpool level within seconds
• Matthews makes late Premier League debut for Palace in goal
• Elliott breaks Palace hearts with injury-time drive
• Alisson denies Andersen’s header in the final minute of stoppage time
• HT: Palace 1-2 Liverpool

In a reversal of the recent form book, the Eagles took the lead early in the second-half through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty, and seemed in control of proceedings until the closing stages at a spirited Selhurst Park.

But a controversial second yellow card for Jordan Ayew, combined with a fortuitous Mohamed Salah goal moments later, transformed the game in the visitors’ favour.

And as Palace suffered further injury troubles and waves of pressure on their goalmouth began to mount, Harvey Elliott strode forwards to win it for Liverpool in injury-time with a dipping shot.

Palace went into their second Selhurst Park match in the space of four days off the back of a self-admittedly disappointing result against Bournemouth – but not for wont of trying, as manager Roy Hodgson had reiterated.

Up against a Liverpool side unbeaten in their last eight Premier League outings, the visitors’ quality was in no doubt – but Palace more than matched it, both for quality and application, in a competitive first-half where the Eagles enjoyed the better chances.

Making his 350th Palace appearance, Joel Ward was involved heavily early on as Liverpool’s attempts to get the ball forwards quickly for Salah and company were repelled convincingly; one particularly important sliding tackle from the captain saw an early break halted.

At the other end, the Eagles’ high press proved particularly effective against a Liverpool team loose in possession in their own third, and that led to a series of fouls which gave Hughes the chance to deliver several threatening set-pieces.

While Liverpool did enjoy the majority of possession, it was Palace who – roared on by a vociferous Selhurst crowd – were the more cutting team, particularly on the counter-attack. How they did not take the lead midway through the first-half was anybody’s guess.

A sharp passing move which began in the Palace half culminated in Ayew whipping a low ball across the box which, although initially missed by Odsonne Edouard, reached Jefferson Lerma stealing in behind him.

The Colombian's stretching effort was on target, and forced Liverpool ‘keeper Alisson Becker into a stunning two-handed reflex save – yet the ball kept travelling and, after looping up and against the inside of the post, still demanded a further goal-line clearance from Trent Alexander-Arnold to deny Palace the lead.

That moment ignited Palace’s attack, and they were awarded a penalty seconds later, again from a high press. Hughes won the ball from Endo on the edge of the Liverpool box and slid in Edouard, who was barged over by Virgil van Dijk.

Referee Andy Madley awarded the penalty but, following a lengthy VAR review and consultation with the pitchside monitor, cancelled the spot-kick, adjudging Hughes to have fouled Endo.

As the half wore on, Liverpool began to make further inroads into Palace’s half – yet chances remained scarce, their clearest opportunity falling to Dominik Szoboszlai, whose curling effort was diverted over by Hughes in stoppage time.

With Edouard suffering an injury shortly before half-time and unable to continue, Mateta entered the fray at the interval – and it would not be long before the striker made his mark.

After the interval, Palace continued to enjoy limited possession, but made more of it, albeit Darwin Núñez did go close for the visitors with an instinctive header from Luis Díaz’s mis-hit effort.

Then, Palace’s deserved opportunity finally arrived.

Mateta made a near-post run to control a low Hughes cross and appeared to be felled by Jarell Quansah. Play continued for almost two minutes before VAR intervened, the referee stopping play to award a spot-kick upon the revelation of clear contact.

Mateta himself took it, sending both Alisson the wrong way from 12 yards for his first Premier League goal of the season – and also Selhurst Park bouncing in celebration of a perhaps unexpected, but entirely deserved, lead.

Van Dijk came close to reaching Alexander-Arnold’s whipped free-kick moments later as Liverpool sought an immediate response, yet the ball evaded him.

Palace continued to impress and looked the sharper team in possession – but the game was flipped on its head with 15 minutes remaining when Ayew was awarded a second yellow card for a seemingly innocuous foul on Elliott near the halfway line.

The goal galvanised the visitors and it was only seconds before Salah struck a fortuitous equaliser. Cody Gakpo's clipped cross rebounded off second-half substitute Michael Olise inside the box, allowing Curtis Jones to square for Salah to stroke an effort goalwards.

True to form, the shot hit Nathaniel Clyne and wrong-footed Sam Johnstone to find the back of the net.

Having lost both a man and a goal in the space of mere moments, it would have been easy for Palace to crumble in the closing stages – but they continued to fight valiantly, repelling wave upon wave of Liverpool pressure.

That was, at least, until the first minute of stoppage time, when substitute Elliott picked up the ball in a deep position, drove forwards and unleashed a thunderbolt of a low effort which left Palace ‘keeper Remi Matthews – making his Premier League debut as a late substitute for the injured Johnstone – with no chance.

Even then, there was one last grandstand moment, Olise’s in-swinging free-kick headed goalwards from close range by Andersen – but Alisson somehow got down low to repel it.

The cruellest of circumstances all combined to leave Palace pointless – but certainly not cowed – against Liverpool at Selhurst Park.

Palace: Johnstone (GK) (Matthews, 87), Ward, Guéhi, Andersen, Clyne, Richards, Lerma (Olise, 68), Hughes, Ayew, Edouard (Mateta, 45), Schlupp (Ahamada, 84)

Subs: Tomkins, Riedewald, Ozoh, França, Ebiowei

Liverpool: Alisson (GK), Alexander-Arnold, Quansah (Konaté, 57), van Dijk, Tsimikas, Gravenberch (Gakpo, 57), Endo (Gomez, 45), Szoboszlai (Jones, 73), Salah, Núñez (Elliott, 73), Díaz

Subs: Kelleher (GK), Bradley, McConnell, Doak