Liverpool 4 - 3 Crystal Palace

Liverpool: Salah 48’, 74’, Firmino 52’, Mané 90+2’
Crystal Palace: Townsend 34’, Tomkins 65’, Meyer 90+4’

• PRE-MATCH: Matip returns to the line-up after his injury woes, and as expected, Trent isn’t used. Keita also gets a rare opportunity in the starting line-up. Hopefully he can make this count.
• Liverpool have started the first five minutes very aggressively. Milner does some clever movement to create the first big opportunity for Liverpool. Unfortunately, it falls to Matip, who forces a save, but you can’t help but wish it was Firmino or Salah whose feet it had fallen to.
• Firmino does a bit of slick footwork to get a shot off outside of the box that sails over the bar. Very Coutinho-esque.
• Speroni taking his sweet time with every goal kick and throw less than 20 minutes into this game.
• Liverpool have been playing well, but 25 minutes in and they haven’t found a way to score.
• James Milner is such a player.
• goal - 34’ Andros Townsend - After it being all Liverpool, Crystal Palace beat the Liverpool press and get the first goal of the game on a fast break.
• HALFTIME: That sucked, but we’ve got a whole half to make things right.
• GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!! Salah 47’ - Liverpool were not playing around when they came out for the second half. In no time at all, Salah gets a beautiful goal on the volley to level to score. That’s what Mo Salah thinks about your booing.
• GOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!! Firmino 52’ - Beautiful Bobby gets a slight deflection on a shot inside the 18 yard box, but who cares? It’s a goal, and Liverpool are back in front. Firmino celebrates with fellow Brazilian Fabinho.
• Yiiiikkes, Palace nearly get in AGAIN on the break, and it came down to some last ditch defending and a bit of luck to keep it out.
• goal - Tomkins 65’ - The simplest of headers from a corner. Maybe the worst example of defending that we’ve seen from Liverpool this season.
• GOALLLLLLLLLLL! Salah 74’ - Salah gets the cheekiest of tap-ins when Milner’s cross is dealt with poorly by Speroni and Salah steamrolled in to get it into the back of the net.
• I hate playing against Crystal Palace.
• Fabinho goes off injured in the 87th minute, replaced by Adam Lallana. That’ll get Liverpool stomachs turning after the Brazilian’s excellent performances lately.
• Red card - James Milner sees red for a second yellow, which means Liverpool will be down to 10 men for the last few minutes of this match. That’s Liverpool’s first red card this season. Looks like Milner will be getting a very extended break, since he’s now set to miss the next match on January 30th against Leicester City.
• Five added minutes to this game, because the Premier League loves to cause me pain.
• GOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!! Mané 90+2’ - An emphatic finish from Mane. Robertson does well to keep a ball in play and get it to Mané. He then uses his incredible speed to beat two defenders and get it into the far corner to finish Palace off.
• goal - Meyer 90+3’ - What the hell is this game??? END THE GAME, THANK YOU.
• FINAL: THANK GOD.

We’ll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today’s game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven’t already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we’ll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.