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Salah Strikes Late To Earn Liverpool 3Points


Mohamed Salah scored his 37th goal of the season as Liverpool came from behind to record a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Luka Milivojevic sent Palace ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute, but Sadio Mane levelled early in the second period before Salah came up with an 84th-minute winner for the visitors.
The result has left Palace in 16th position in the
Premier League table - two points clear of the relegation zone. Liverpool, meanwhile, have moved above Manchester United into second position.
The big team news for Palace saw Wilfried Zaha named in the XI. The attacker has been nursing a knee problem, and was indeed unable to train during the international break. Zaha started for the hosts, however, while there was also a spot in the team for former Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho .
As for Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold replaced the injured Joe Gomez at right-back, while Emre Can 's absence saw James Milner selected alongside Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson in the middle of the park.
Palace had the first opportunity of the match in the eighth minute when a brilliant Yohan Cabaye pass released Zaha inside the penalty box, but the former Manchester United forward could not find a route past Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius , who made a smart save.
Mane then nodded a Virgil van Dijk header just wide of the Palace post as both teams had chances to open the scoring in the early stages.
Palace did not have to wait long to make the breakthrough, however, with in-form midfielder Milivojevic scoring from the penalty spot in the 12th minute after Karius had clumsily brought Zaha - who had raced onto a flick from Christian Benteke - to the ground with a rash challenge.
Liverpool wanted a penalty of their own in the 24th minute when Mane went down under a challenge from James McArthur , but the contact was minimal, and the Reds attacker was booked for simulation.
Mane had the ball in the back of the Palace net in the 30th minute when he nodded home from close range, but the offside flag saw Liverpool's celebrations cut short.
Salah tested Wayne Hennessey with a drive late in the first period before Mane headed into the arms of the Palace goalkeeper, but Liverpool were off-colour in the opening 45 minutes as the hosts entered the half-time break with a one-goal lead.
The visitors were level just three minutes into the second period, however, when Mane turned a low Milner cross into the bottom corner of the net.
Liverpool were dominant in the spell that followed, and only a brilliant defensive block from Sakho prevented Salah from sliding the ball past Hennessey in the 54th minute.
Benteke had two huge chances to send Palace back ahead just before the hour, but the Belgian lifted his first effort wide of the post before firing over the crossbar following excellent work from
Andros Townsend on both occasions.
Mane was then fortunate to escape a second yellow when he deliberately handed the ball just outside the Palace box, and from the resulting free kick, Karius made a flying save to deny
Patrick Van Aanholt .
Liverpool suffered a huge blow in the 70th minute when Adam Lallana had to be taken off just six minutes after entering as a substitute.
The Reds were the team pressing for a winner in the latter stages, but Alexander-Arnold was among those to waste efforts from distance as the final five minutes approached at 1-1.
Salah proved to be the match-winner once again, however, as the Egypt international fired a low
Andrew Robertson cross past Hennessey in the 84th minute to break Palace hearts late on.

Credit: SportsMole

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