Liverpool's ambitions of winning the Barclays Premier League suffered a huge blow as they surrendered 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 on Wednesday night. 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. Liverpool pushed forward in the five minutes of additional time but could not find a winning goal and will now be relying on favours from both Villa on Wednesday night and West Ham on Sunday if they are to win a 19th league title.
