Liverpool’s Luis Suarez (right) runs past Jason Puncheon.Liverpool’s ambitions of winning the Premier League suffered a huge blow last night as they relinquished a three-goal lead to only come away with a 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace.
With title rivals Manchester City winning at Everton on Saturday, the pressure was on Brendan Rodgers and his side as they travelled to Selhurst Park needing all three points to maintain any realistic chance of ending their 24-year wait for a league crown.
Everything seemed to be in order as the visitors charged into a three-goal lead befitting of their domination of the game, before the Eagles mounted a spirited comeback to score three in nine minutes and seal a memorable draw.
City had strolled to victory in south London eight days ago but Palace did not roll over as easily against Liverpool, who now hold just a one-point advantage at the top of the table with City’s game in hand coming at home to Aston Villa tomorrow.
Joe Allen’s first Liverpool goal was enough to give the Reds a half-time lead, with fit-again Daniel Sturridge and double player of the year Luis Suarez scoring in two early second-half minutes.
But Palace have been instilled with a workmanlike attitude under Tony Pulis and, with the backing of a ferocious home crowd, miraculously clawed their way back into the game.
Substitute Dwight Gayle was the main protagonist as the hosts followed Liverpool’s example by snatching two quick-fire goals.
Damien Delaney’s first goal of the season started the charge before Gayle took centre-stage, bagging a brace as Palace scored three in nine incredible minutes to take a share of the spoils and leave the likes of Suarez and Liverpool captain Steve Gerrard haunched over in anguish at the full-time whistle.
Summary
C. Palace 3
Delaney 79; Gayle 81, 88;
Liverpool 3
Allen 18; Sturridge 53; Suarez 55;
HT: 0-1. Att: 24,000.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Liverpool | 37 | 25 | 6 | 6 | 99 | 49 | 81 |
| Man. City | 36 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 96 | 37 | 80 |
| Chelsea | 37 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 69 | 26 | 79 |
| Arsenal | 37 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 66 | 41 | 76 |
| Everton | 37 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 59 | 39 | 69 |
| Tottenham | 37 | 20 | 6 | 11 | 52 | 51 | 66 |
| Man. United | 36 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 60 | 41 | 60 |
| Southampton | 37 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 53 | 45 | 55 |
| Newcastle | 37 | 15 | 4 | 18 | 42 | 57 | 49 |
| Stoke City | 37 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 43 | 51 | 47 |
| C. Palace | 37 | 13 | 5 | 19 | 31 | 46 | 44 |
| West Ham | 37 | 11 | 7 | 19 | 40 | 49 | 40 |
| Swansea | 37 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 51 | 53 | 39 |
| Aston Villa | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 39 | 54 | 38 |
| Hull City | 36 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 37 | 48 | 37 |
| West Brom | 36 | 7 | 15 | 14 | 42 | 55 | 36 |
| Sunderland | 36 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 38 | 57 | 35 |
| Norwich City | 37 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 60 | 33 |
| Fulham | 37 | 9 | 4 | 24 | 38 | 83 | 31 |
| Cardiff City | 37 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 31 | 72 | 30 |
Next fixtures
Playing today: 20.45 Manchester United vs Hull City.
Tomorrow: 20.45 Man. City vs Aston Villa; Sunderland vs West Brom.
Sunday: 16.00 Cardiff vs Chelsea; Fulham vs Crystal Palace; Hull vs Everton; Liverpool vs Newcastle; Man. City vs West Ham; Norwich vs Arsenal; Southampton vs Man. United; Sunderland vs Swansea; Tottenham vs Aston Villa; West Brom vs Stoke.