In a ridiculous, back and forth game, Roberto Firmino put Liverpool 4-2 up against Crystal Palace with a lovely chipped finish.
Liverpool have seriously ridden their against Crystal Palace. The Reds took the lead early through Emre Can, and looked as though they’d push on and consolidate their lead. But a Dejan Lovren error gifted Crystal Palace a way back into the game, and things got a little crazy after that.
Lovren gave Liverpool a 2-1 lead almost immediately after letting Palace back into the game. Then, James McArthur took advantage of some more questionable Liverpool defending to make it 2-2. To finish the first half, Joel Matip connected on a corner to give the Reds the advantage heading into the break.
In the second half, Crystal Palace were mostly dominant. They were unfortunate not to have penalty after a series of close calls in the box. Wilfried Zaha went to ground twice and Christian Benteke appeared to get clipped by Matip, but referee Andre Mariner was unmoved.
Liverpool gave themselves some breathing room midway through the first half thanks to a lovely finish from Roberto Firmino. Jordan Henderson found the Brazilian with an excellent pass through a worryingly larger gap in the Palace back line, and Firmino scooped it over Steve Mandanda in the Eagles goal.
The Reds are seeking to keep pace with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table. A win will put them on 23 points — the same as both those sides — but they’ll remain third due to their inferior goal difference.
That the Reds’ goal difference continues to trail behind that of their rivals is testament to what remains an unconvincing defense. A win at Crystal Palace would be a great result, but the same concerns persist for Jurgen Klopp’s side. They’re breathtaking going forward, but individual errors at the back threaten to derail a title challenge.