CRYSTAL PALACE KNOCKED OUT OF THE FA CUP BY LIVERPOOL.

CRYSTAL PALACE 1 LIVERPOOL 2

BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT SELHURST PARK

Liverpool FC came from behind to beat a dogged Crystal Palace side 2-1 to move into the quarter final of the FA Cup, thus keeping Steven Gerrard’s hope of a Cup final appearance at Wembley on his birthday.

In recent times Liverpool FC have been outfoxed by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and when they went a goal down in this game they must have had that De Javu feeling.

With 17 minutes gone Joe Ledley played a speculative long ball into the Liverpool box, Martin Skrtel’s backward header did not reach Simon Mignolet. Dwight Gayle’s who was behind him pounced but his header was saved by the alert Mignolet. However Frazer Campbell swept the rebound into the net to give Palace the lead.

Liverpool were dominating the game until then did not panic and continued to attack Palace.

After a neat passage of play, Jordan Henderson played Adam Lallana in but Julian Speroni saved his shot.   Just past the half hour mark Henderson tried his luck from 30 yards but once again Speroni saved it.

Two minutes before the break Yannick Bolasie majestically brought the ball down between two Liverpool players and played Gayle in.  Mignolet spread himself to block his shot and in the process kept Liverpool in the cup-tie.

Although Liverpool continued to dominate possession and created chances mostly by Coutinho, Palace’s lead was intact at the break.

After the break Rodgers sent on Mario Balotelli for Lazar Markovic and Alan Pardew replaced Marouane Chamakh with Jason Puncheon.

It did not take long for Liverpool to draw level. Henderson played Daniel Sturridge in and from the tightest of angles he squeezed his shot past Speroni.  The moment before the break when Campbell could have made it 2 for Palace turned out to be a pivotal moment in the game.

Liverpool were now in total ascendancy and could smell blood. It did not take long for them to take control of the game.  A free kick was awarded to them on the edge of the Palace box and Balotelli hit a low shot, which Speroni could only parry to the oncoming Adam Lallana who slotted the ball past the helpless keeper, to give Liverpool the lead.

The Eagles did not turn up in the second half and Liverpool simply played keep ball once they got the second goal.  Balotelli played his part. At the final whistle he went straight down the tunnel without acknowledging the Liverpool fans that had made the journey down South. But did he need to after the stick he had taken from some of them?  He simply let his football do the talking. He would have taken comfort that he had made a telling contribution to Liverpool’s fight back on a ground, which had been a nightmare in their last three visits here.

The delighted Brendan Rodgers said: “There was certainly a different feeling to when we were here before. Alan has done a great job here in a short period. We felt at half time that we were creating enough.  I felt in the second half our composure was very good. The two goals were very good goals in different ways.  Sturridge coming back gives us a big boost for the second part of the season.” 

The disappointed Pardew said: “I thought we started well.  If we had engaged their two strikers more aggressively it would have helped us. Sturridge’s goal was a great goal and the game was up for grabs. It was strange that the winner was from a set piece. It is something we should look at. I am surprised Dwight missed that chance because he is usually good in those situations. That turned out to be a pivotal moment. Balotelli has had a good week but I do not think he has quite arrived yet.”

Although Palace lost, Pardew would not have lost sight of the fact that the bigger picture at Selhurst Park is survival in the Premier League. This cannot be overstated especially in a week where a new Television deal for £5billion was announced.  Palace are still heading in the right direction just not up Wembley way.