Football: Touchline trouble for Souness: Armstrong's goal helps Palace's relegation fight as Watford embarrass first division leaders

Crystal Palace. .1

Liverpool . . . .1

GRAEME SOUNESS joined the spectators in the stand for the final minutes of this game, sent there on the orders of the referee, Roger Dilkes, after the Liverpool manager had continued an angry debate with the Crystal Palace bench before directing his protests to a linesman.

The linesman, Mike Bullivant, summoned the referee, who then sent Souness out of the dug-out. Souness, who this time last year was a heart patient and vowed to alter his approach to a job that involves a great deal of stress, has now put himself at risk of a fourth touchline ban in a short but controversial managerial career.

He was twice disciplined by the Scottish FA while at Rangers and was punished by Uefa with a five-match touchline suspension this season after abusive remarks to the referee following Liverpool's Cup-Winners' Cup tie with Spartak Moscow.

Mr Dilkes, in a statement after the game, said: 'My senior linesman reported to me that Mr Souness had persisted in using abusive language to him and I requested therefore that he left the vicinity of the trainer's bench. This will be the subject of a report to the Football Association.'

Souness was unhappy with a goalmouth melee 11 minutes from time from which Palace's Chris Armstrong emerged to fire an equaliser which could be a vital step in their efforts to avoid relegation. 'Myself and the players thought David James was pushed at every corner, and he was again for their goal,' he said.

'At half-time the players asked the referee to watch out and he replied that he knew he was being pushed. The referee sees it one way and we see it another but he calls the shots. If I can't ask the linesman about an incident when I thought there was pushing what chance have I got?'

Souness was also aggrieved that a second strike from Ian Rush three minutes after he opened the scoring was ruled out because Ronnie Rosenthal was adjudged to be offside. Perhaps he was also unhappy that Palace appeared to be scraping their way to safety. After they had achieved a draw in the Coca-Cola Cup at Anfield this season he claimed their methods relied overly on muscle and aggression.

Palace were aggressive last night, but their position meant that they could approach it in no other way. Chris Coleman came close twice before half-time, first with an intelligent lofted shot and then a snap header that drew a fine save from James.

It was Rush who struck first, though, prompted by Ronnie Whelan to steer the ball beyond Nigel Martyn in the 49th minute for his fifth goal in four games.

Victory would have hoisted Liverpool eight places to a best-of-the-season sixth. They were holding out comfortably until Andy Thorn met a corner and Armstrong, the pounds 1m striker Palace will miss through suspension for their next two games, applied the finishing touch.

'Having gone a goal down I am well pleased with the point,' the Palace manager, Steve Coppell, said. 'We are on the edge but we are looking down rather than up.'

Crystal Palace: Martyn; Shaw (Ndah, 74), Southgate, Coleman, Young, Thorn, Osborn, Thomas, Armstrong, Rodger, McGoldrick. Substitutes not used: Williams, Woodman (gk).

Liverpool: James; Burrows, Harkness, Nicol, Marsh, Whelan, Rosenthal (McManaman, 64), Hutchison, Rush, Barnes, Walters. Substitutes not used: Bjornebye, Hooper (Gk).

Referee: R Dilkes (Mossley).

Future of FA's National School

Scots win Vogts' vote, page 34