Crystal Palace v Liverpool LIVE: Result and reaction as Harvey Elliott smashes home late winner
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool: Elliott and Salah send Reds top after Ayew’s sending off
Liverpool went to the top of the Premier League table with victory over ten-man Crystal Palace as Harvey Elliott fired home a brilliant late winner.
Elliott’s 90th minute strike ensured a below-par Liverpool took all three points away from Selhurst Park after Mohamed Salah had cancelled out Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty.
Home manager Roy Hodgson had been booed by Crystal Palace supporters after a flat midweek defeat to Bournemouth, but his team responded well with a vastly-improved performance.
The London club were in control of the game after Mateta converted from 12 yards following a foul by young Liverpool defender Jarrel Quansah, before the game swung. A seemingly innocuous trip on Elliott by Jordan Ayew saw the forward shown a second yellow card by referee Andy Madley.
And almost immediately after Ayew was dismissed, Salah’s deflected effort — his 200th Liverpool goal — put Liverpool level, allowing substitute Elliott to produce a moment of quality and take Liverpool a point above Arsenal, who play Aston Villa later on Saturday.
Re-live all the action below plus get the latest Premier League odds and tips for the match right here:
Unconvincing Liverpool going top sends ominous warning to Premier League title rivals
At the early kick-off time he so loathes, Jurgen Klopp was alert enough for some late inspiration. It was his introduction of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott that turned a drab and VAR-disrupted game at Crystal Palace. The two young midfielders similarly transformed a 1-0 defeat into a 2-1 victory with Jones clever supplying an assist for the equaliser and then Elliott offering a thundering finish in the 90th minute.
Roy Hodgson might well say that a second booking for Jordan Ayew was even more influential, since that came just before Mohamed Salah’s strike for a foul on Elliott. The Palace manager told the ref as much, receiving a booking.
Either way, the three minutes that involved Elliott’s introduction, Ayew’s expulsion and then Salah’s goal ultimately decided where the three points were going.
Unconvincing Liverpool going top sends ominous warning to Premier League title rivals
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool: Mateta’s penalty was cancelled out by Salah before Elliott won it in stoppage time
FT: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
So Liverpool are a point above Arsenal before Mikel Arteta’s side visit Aston Villa later. It was another imperfect performance from Jurgen Klopp’s side, but the German will be pleased with the impact made by some of his substitutes, with Cody Gakpo and Joe Gomez good off the bench.
Match-winner Harvey Elliott reacts after Liverpool’s win
“It’s a great feeling, especially to win the game. It’s a tough place to come against a tough team. We’ve again shown our resilience - to come away with the three points is good.
On Mohamed Salah’s influence on his career: “My finish today just sums up what I’ve learned off him. Ever since I came through, he’s always been by my side and looked after me. It’s been a pleasure to share the pitch with him.
“We know we are going in the right direction. There’s still a lot of the season left, so we can’t be thinking about that yet. If it comes towards the end of the season and we are contenders, then why not? That is the aim at the start of the season, to win the Premier League - there can be no other aim.”
FT: Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
A piece of brilliance to decide a weird game at Selhurst Park, with Liverpool escaping with three points to go top of the Premier League table. You feel for Crystal Palace, vastly improved and right on top until Jordan Ayew’s strange sending off. But Mohamed Salah soon cancelled out Jean-Philippe Mateta’s penalty, allowing Harvey Elliott to fire home a superb winner to steal the win.
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool, 90 + 11 minutes
Another excellent cross from Olise from the corner, and Jean-Philippe Mateta’s aerial contest draws another set piece.
Too shallow, this time, and Liverpool clear. Luis Diaz is scythed down by Naouiro Ahamada - Andy Madley scribbles furiously into his book with his pen surely running out of ink.
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool, 90 + 10 minutes
What a save from Alisson! It’s a perfect ball and an excellent downward header from Joachim Andersen, but Alisson gets down to his right to bash it away!
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool, 90 + 9 minutes
Michael Olise is fouled by Luis Diaz. 35 yards out, wide on the right. Diaz is booked.
Remi Matthews ventures out of his goal, but is sent back by his teammates. The rest of them are up there, though - can Olise deliver the right ball?
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool, 90 + 8 minutes
Joachim Andersen is the next Crystal Palace player into Andy Madley’s book, clattering into Luis Diaz as the hosts’ frustration at throwing a promising position away starts to show. It was all going so well until Jordan Ayew’s dismissal.
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