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MOTD: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool

By on February 14, 2015

When Liverpool last travelled to Selhurst Park they reached their lowest point this season, both figuratively and literally, ending the weekend twelfth in the Premier League. Palace’s counter-attacking play tore Liverpool’s defense apart, with The Eagles registering fifteen shots and finding the back of the net three times in a 3-1 win. Only shadows of that performance have remained; Palace indeed threatened Liverpool on the break, yet Liverpool outplayed their hosts today, especially in the second half. The 2-1 win didn’t do full justice to the extensiveness of The Reds’ victory, and moreover it provides passage to the FA Cup Quarterfinals. Even Mario Balotelli afforded a smile.

It wasn’t a perfect performance from Liverpool, far from it. In the first half, Palace’s defensive setup frustrated Brendan Rodgers’ side and denied them any clear chances despite Liverpool controlling the majority of possession. Indeed, Palace held a lead until a second half comeback from Liverpool. Only in the second half did Palace fall, when they took to a more proactive and attacking style of football, exposing them at the back. Then, Daniel Sturridge found space to run in behind their defense, Adam Lallana wreaked havoc in the midfield, and even substitute Balotelli proved effective. The match is a step in the right direction — perhaps bidding their demons farewell.

Liverpool were dominant throughout the ninety minutes, but in the first forty-five Palace tactically outdid them. Sitting back, Alan Pardew’s men absorbed pressure like sponges, preventing Sturridge from making his trademark runs by continuously dropping their back-line further and further back. However, with Yannick Bolasie’s and Fraizer Campbell’s pace Palace were quick on the break to get the ball up to Dwight Gayle.

It was, in fact, Campbell and Gayle who played major roles in Palace’s opener. Martin Skrtel highlighted Liverpool’s shaky back-three by finding himself under a long ball and flicking it backwards right into the path of Gayle’ whose first time header was only denied as Simon Mignolet was quick off his line. Campbell, though, was there to mop up the rebound.

The goal was certainly against the run of play, but Palace limited Liverpool to few clear-cut chances as well. The closest Liverpool came in the first half was when Lallana poked Jordan Henderson’s cut-back straight at Julian Speroni; otherwise, they only saw sight of goal from range.

Palace, however, saw a golden chance to double their lead right on the brink of the half as a lucky deflection put Gayle through on goal and only a kick-save from Mignolet denied the forward.

Yet it really was a match of two halves. For some reason, Pardew changed his winning formula and Palace opened the second half pressing high up the pitch, but also exposing themselves at the back. They paid for the decision: just four minutes into the half Sturridge got in behind the defensive with a peach of a ball over the top from Henderson, and slotted it home with a brilliant first-time volley through the legs of Speroni, reminding of the Englishman’s winner against Bolton.

From there, there could only be one winner with the creativity of Liverpool on the attack. They ended the match with sixty-three percent of possession, and more importantly, the result as well. Balotelli’s low, driven free-kick from the edge of the box proved too much for Speroni to handle, pushing it back into the mixer, and Lallana poked home the rebound. Liverpool also impressed in shutting the match down in the closing stages, banishing all memories of their loss here in November and hectic 3-3 draw with Palace last May.
Man of the Match: Adam Lallana

Homepage photo credit: Bernard Chan on Flickr

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.