Salah strikes again as Liverpool beat Crystal Palace

Mohamed Salah rode to Liverpool’s rescue once more with the winner six minutes from time as the visitors ground out a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday to move into second in the Premier League.

Luka Milivojevic drove relegation-threatened Palace into a 13th minute lead from the penalty spot, and the hosts were left to rue their luck as Liverpool duo Loris Karius and Sadio Mane could easily have been sent-off.

Mane levelled four minutes after the break and, despite having one of his quieter games of an incredible debut season at Liverpool, Salah still proved the match winner.

Liverpool leapfrog bitter rivals Manchester United, but United can retake second spot behind runaway leaders Manchester City when they host Swansea later on Saturday.

A third straight home defeat for Palace leaves Roy Hodgson’s men just two points above the drop zone, having played two games more than Southampton in 18th.

Despite a huge Champions League quarter-final, first leg with Manchester City looming at Anfield on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp named his strongest side.

And there was plenty to concern Klopp ahead of the European encounter with free-scoring City as Palace exposed Liverpool’s defensive deficiencies.

As in their defeat to United at Old Trafford earlier this month, Liverpool were exposed down their right as young full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled to cope with the pace of power of Wilfried Zaha.

The Palace talisman should have scored when he got in behind after just nine minutes, but was denied by a brave stop from Loris Karius.

The German ‘keeper’s form has improved markedly from his early days at Anfield, however, he was caught out by Zaha’s speed when the winger flicked the ball goalward before being cleaned out by Karius.

AFP