Crystal Palace have dealt a major blow to Liverpool's title hopes by coming from three goals down in the space of nine second-half minutes to claim a dramatic 3-3 draw at Selhurst Park this evening.
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The visitors almost took the lead inside 10 minutes when Mamadou Sakho escaped his marker to latch on to Steven Gerrard's corner, but the centre-back planted his header wide from close range.
They came close again in the 15th minute as Joe Allen chipped a pass through for Glen Johnson, who beat Julian Speroni to the ball but sent his looping header just too high.
Liverpool were ahead just three minutes later, however, as Allen was left unmarked at the back post to nod in his first Premier League goal for the club.
Brendan Rodgers's side almost doubled their advantage just after the half-hour mark when Luis Suarez sent a free kick narrowly past the post from 30 yards.
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Palace then threatened moments later as Jason Puncheon drew a good stop from Simon Mignolet before the Liverpool keeper was called upon again to deny a stinging drive from Mile Jedinak.
Liverpool came close to a second goal shortly before the break as Gerrard and Allen released Suarez on the counter-attack, but Speroni was equal to the Uruguayan's eventual effort.
Suarez squandered a glorious chance to double his side's lead seven minutes after the restart when he blazed over with an open goal to aim at after Speroni had tipped Daniel Sturridge's curling effort onto the post.
There was nothing the Palace keeper could do just a minute later, however, as Sturridge collected Gerrard's pass before sending a deflected shot past Speroni.
It was 3-0 just two minutes after that as Suarez exchanged passes with Raheem Sterling before sliding the ball under the keeper for his 31st league goal of the season, equalling the record for a 38-match campaign.
Liverpool kept pushing for a fourth to improve their goal difference and almost got it when Johnson's dipping effort was punched away by Speroni.
It was Palace who got the fourth goal of the game, however, as Damien Delaney found himself in an advanced position before firing a deflected shot past a helpless Mignolet.
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Liverpool almost responded immediately as Philippe Coutinho fired an effort towards goal that Speroni did well to tip over the top for a corner.
The Reds' goal difference took another blow moments later, however, as Palace struck again following a swift counter that saw Yannick Bolasie find Dwight Gayle for the finish.
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The Eagles then completed their remarkable comeback in the 88th minute as Adrian Mariappa and Glenn Murray combined to set up Gayle, who calmly slotted past Mignolet for his second of the night.
Liverpool desperately went in search of a goal that would restore their advantage and put them three points clear at the top of the table, but some heroic defending from Palace ensured that the Reds had to make do with a share of the spoils.
Barney Corkhill
