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Adam Davy
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Crystal Palace v Liverpool, Premier League

Liverpool took on Crystal Palace, as they sought to keep their faint top-four hopes alive.

Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.

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Here are today’s teams…

We’re underway…

Klopp’s in good form today…

Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Barclays Premier League - Selhurst Park Adam Davy Adam Davy

Milner storms forward following an excellent pass by Sakho. The midfielder is tackled and the ball goes out for a corner.

Good, positive early start from Liverpool, against a Palace side that have failed to win any of their last 11 games.

Down the other end, Palace counter swiftly.

Adebayor plays the ball across the box to Bolasie, but Mignolet gets down well to save his sliding effort.

Henderson’s shot is blocked. The midfielder is then booked for cynically stopping a Palace counter-attack by taking out Bolasie.

Shortly thereafter, Adebayor hits the bar with a header. The ex-Tottenham striker should have done better there.

It’s been a very entertaining start, with the game being played at a frantic pace.

Adebayor has been causing Liverpool plenty of problems early on.

There are claims for a penalty now, but replays show the striker’s cross came off Sakho’s chest rather than his hand.

Panic in the Palace box, as McCarthy comes for a cross but fails to claim it.

The hosts clear the ball nervously thereafter, but Liverpool will surely continue to test the goalkeeper, who had not played a league match since September before today.

The game’s gotten a bit quieter now following that high-octane opening.

The two teams look fairly evenly matched so far.

Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Barclays Premier League - Selhurst Park Liverpool's Divock Origi and Crystal Palace's Joel Ward and Crystal Palace's Scott Dann (left) battle for the ball. Adam Davy Adam Davy

Nice through ball from Zaha to pick out Cabaye.

However, the French international’s shot from just outside the box can only find the side-netting.

Zaha outfoxes Moreno and the defender takes him down, giving away a free kick just outside the box in the process — that could be an area of joy for Palace.

From the ensuing free-kick, Delaney just about meets Cabaye’s cross but heads well over.

Down the other end, Origi’s pot shot goes narrowly off target.

Firmino wins a free kick on the edge of the box following a clumsy challenge by Cabaye.

Milner’s subsequent effort is deflected wide for a corner.

Great cross from Bolasie that Adebayor narrowly fails to get on the end of.

Palace have looked the more threatening of the two teams so far.

A free kick is played in but Dann’s header is straight at Mignolet.

Bolasie and Zaha are continuing to cause Liverpool plenty of problems down the flanks.

Poor challenge from Milner on Cabaye deservedly earns the England midfielder a yellow card.

Liverpool have yet to really get going in this game.

Two good headers from Lovren, the first of which stopped Adebayor from opening the scoring. The hosts are really intensifying the pressure now.

As I type though, Liverpool break, but Can overruns the ball and the chance is gone.

HALF-TIME: CRYSTAL PALACE 0-0 LIVERPOOL

So half-time and it’s been an intriguing first-half.

Liverpool have looked nowhere near as impressive as they were against Man City midweek, with Palace growing increasingly dominant and threatening as the half wore on.

Bolasie, Zaha, Cabaye and Adebayor have all caused the home side problems, with the latter missing a gilt-edged chance as he hit the bar with a header.

Quite simply, Palace have been stronger in most aspects of the play, and Liverpool will undoubtedly need a significant improvement in the second half to get three points from the game.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have looked short of ideas in attack, struggling to break Palace down, with their big guns failing to fire thus far, while looking somewhat vulnerable to the counter-attack down the other end.

Evidence of how poor Liverpool were going forward during that first half.

The second half has begun…

CRYSTAL PALACE 1-0 LIVERPOOL (LEDLEY 48)

Ledley rifles the ball home from the edge of the box to give his side the lead.

It’s well-deserved given how the game has panned out so far.

Liverpool have badly missed Coutinho today.

The Reds’ attack is lacking creativity, while they are struggling to cope with Alan Pardew’s side’s direct approach.

The Brazilian is available on the bench though, as are Benteke and Sturridge.

Flanagan crosses to Origi, but he tries to dribble around a few players and eventually gets out-muscled, losing possession in the process and allowing Palace to counter.

It’s been a fairly ineffectual performance from the young Belgian international thus far.

As I type, Flanagan is being replaced by Coutinho.

RED CARD FOR LIVERPOOL’S JAMES MILNER!

If Liverpool weren’t facing an uphill task before, they certainly are now.

Milner gets a second booking for a rash and needless challenge to stop Zaha breaking on the counter.

It’s similar to the Coquelin red yesterday in that he committed an absolutely needless challenge and left the referee with no choice as a result.

Firmino takes a pot shot but McCarthy saves comfortably.

That’s Liverpool’s first shot on target in this game.

Can has moved into defence and Liverpool are playing with three centre-backs.

Moreno is now virtually playing as a winger, as the visitors go in desperate search for a goal.

Meanwhile, Palace make a change, as Jordon Mutch replaces Cabaye.

CRYSTAL PALACE 1-1 LIVERPOOL (FIRMINO 72)

It’s an awful moment for Alex McCarthy and a big slice of luck for Liverpool.

The Palace goalkeeper slips as he tries to clear and the ball falls to Firmino, who makes no mistake with a simple finish.

That’s the Brazilian’s eighth goal of the season, and he’s now Liverpool’s top scorer.

An important header from Souare ends a dangerous Liverpool break.

Shortly thereafter, Benteke — who has just replaced Origi — gets round the back of Delaney, but his side-footed effort is straight at McCarthy.

Meanwhile, for Palace, Gayle and Sako replace Ledley and Adebayor.

Crystal Palace v Liverpool - Barclays Premier League - Selhurst Park Liverpool's James Milner fouls Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha before being sent-off. Adam Davy Adam Davy

Zaha is bundled over and gets a free kick for a silly challenge from Moreno.

Palace are well on top now, with five minutes remaining.

Disappointingly for the hosts, though, the ensuing set piece is kicked straight out of play.

So close! The ball falls to Moreno from about 30 yards out, and his thunderbolt comes back off the post.

Liverpool are looking more dangerous with 10 men than they did with 11.

Kolo Toure comes on for Firmino for the final few minutes.

Looks like Liverpool are content to settle for a draw.

McCarthy makes a good save after Benteke’s shot from the edge of the box. The out-of-favour striker has looked lively since coming on.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren is named man-of-the-match.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL!

PALACE 1-2 LIVERPOOL (BENTEKE 90)

Incredible stuff, Benteke coolly slots home a last-gasp penalty, and the 10 men of Liverpool come back from the dead.

It’s a rash challenge from Delaney on Benteke that gives away the penalty.

FULL-TIME: LIVERPOOL 2-1 CRYSTAL PALACE

So Liverpool win their third league game in a row with 10 men, while Palace are now without a win in 12 matches.

Delaney is adamant he didn’t make any contact with Benteke for the penalty, but by going to ground alone, the Irish defender gave the referee a decision to make.

Either way, it’s a somewhat fortuitous victory for Liverpool, who were well below their best today, failing to register a shot on target until well into the second half.

Having struggled to create any chances of note, Jurgen Klopp’s men were given a lifeline when goalkeeper Alex McCarthy’s mis-kick enabled Firmino to slot home coolly.

With Palace then pressing for a winner, Liverpool duly capitalised on the counter, with the out-of-favour Benteke scoring that controversial penalty to keep their faint top-four hopes alive.

Right, that’s all from me.

Thanks for reading and commenting, and we’ll have more reaction to follow.

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