Ten-man Palace left empty-handed after Liverpool complete 90th minute comeback

Crystal Palace (0) 1 Mateta pen 57

Liverpool (0) 2 Salah 76, Elliott 90+1

Palace regained their pride but came up just short after a pulsating second half in which they took the lead, but ultimately failed to hang on after having Jordan Ayew sent off.

They picked up seven bookings - which underlined their endeavour and commitment - but would have preferred the return of a point after such a disappointing midweek home defeat to Bournemouth.

The much lower expectations against Liverpool perhaps suited the Eagles' current state.

Shorn of Ebe Eze and opting to keep a still-recovering Michael Olise on the bench at the start, Roy Hodgson was not going to be lambasted for lack of entertainment this time.

The creative options were limited and it was always likely the visitors would hog the ball. He set up his side to defend and break out where they could and for most of the game the plan worked.

That loss to the Cherries had prompted some unusually hostile reaction from home fans and led to an irritated Hodgson claiming Eagles fans' strong reaction was a sign they had been spoilt in recent times.

He has since expressed regrets at making such a comment, and after today's gutsy showing, the mood should improve slightly at Selhurst Park - for a while at least.

A better display was the very least of the requirements. Any improvement on one win in eight league games and only one home win all season would have been an unexpected bonus.

Very little was going on in the opening half, apart from the incessant Holmesdale Road drumming, but the game sprang to life when Jordan Ayew's cross from the right reached Jefferson Lerma with the goal beckoning.

It needed an excellent save from Alisson - back from injury - to deny Palace an opener.

Fired up, the Eagles poured forward and throught they had earned themselves a penalty when Virgil van Dijk upended Odsonne Edouard in the box - only for VAR to alert ref Andy Madley to a foul by Will Hughes on Wataru Endo in the build-up.

VAR became Palace's friend in the second half, though. Play was recalled after a late challenge on half-time sub Jean-Philippe Mateta by Jarrell Quansah in the six-yard box and Mateta himself drilled home from the spot.

The Eagles scented another of those famous wins against the Reds but made the last 15-20 minutes harder on themselves when Ayew picked up a second yellow card for a foul on sub Harvey Elliott - having already been cautioned for not retreating at a Liverpool free-kick.

Almost immediately, Mo Salah levelled it with a deflected low strike after 10-man Palace failed to clear a chip into the box from Cody Gakpo - bringing up his 200th goal for the Merseysiders and 150th Premier League strike.

Hodgson earned himself a booking for his protests after that goal.

Then there was a further handicap for Palace when an injury to Sam Johnstone saw the England keeper replaced by Remi Matthews for the last knockings.

It proved one setback too many as Elliott picked up the ball in the right channel and weaved his way into shooting range before unleashing into the bottom corner to Matthews' right. Liverpool, this season's comeback kings, had done it again to go top of the league - even if only temporarily.

At the last, the Eagles very nearly claimed a draw when Olise's inswinging free-kick from the right was met by a firm downward header by Joachim Andersen at the far post. It so nearly found the net, but Alisson sprang to his right to make a crucial save.

This is a fixture which has not been great for Eagles fans, who have now had to endure a run of 13 without a win against the Reds.

Not since a Christian Benteke double won them the points at Anfield in April 2017 have they had cause to celebrate.

Two draws last season at least ended a run of 10 straight losses to the Pool - a sequence which included that horrific 7-0 mauling at Selhurst three seasons ago. It wasn't that bad today but the tale of woe continues.

Eagles: (4-3-3) Johnstone (Matthews 86) - Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Ward - Lerma (Olise 68), Richards, Hughes (Ozoh 90+5) - Ayew, Edouard (Mateta h/t), Schlupp (Ahamada 84)

Reds: (4-3-3) Alisson - Alexander-Arnold, Quansah (Konate 57), Van Dijk, Tsimikas - Szoboszlai (Jones 74), Endo (Gomez h/t), Gravenberch (Gakpo 57) - Salah, Nunez (Elliott 74), Diaz