LONDON: Liverpool had to hold a vibrant second-half fight from Crystal Palace before appearing with a 3-1 victory on Sunday to close the gap on the leader of the Premier League Manchester City to nine points.
Visitors began brightly with Andy Robertson and Jordan Henderson lost a big opportunity before Virgil van Dijk who were not marked giving Liverpool excellence with headers pounding from the corner.
The Reds made him two before the break with a sharp passing movement that ended with a tremendous cross-field ball from Robertson to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain which he mastered before shooting the house.
The palace came out of the different side in the second half, tearing up to Liverpool because Conor Gallagher was flashing the early headers across the goal and Odsonne Edouard had a smart backheel sent by Guard Alisson Becker.
They pulled one back 10 minutes to the second half when Jeffrey’s Schlupp’s Pass to Jean-Philippe Mateta was sliced to open the Liverpool defense, and he packed the ball for Edouard to a blank net.
Michael Olishe winger almost rated the level for Eagles when he slipped behind Liverpool’s backline in the 83rd minute before removing the left foot lob, but Alisson rushed back to subdue the ball to the corner.
The palace continued to pour forward looking for an equalizer, but the game was decided when Liverpool was awarded a penalty to violate Diogo Jota by Guard Palace Vicente Vicaita after a long Var review, and Fabinho fired a back kick.
Liverpool moved to 48 points, nine behind City, held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton on Saturday.
The palace is 13 at 24 points.
EPL: Liverpool delayed the Fightback Palace to close the gap in Man City
