Liverpool blunder at Crystal Palace – have they just lost the league?
Luis Suarez is inconsolable after Liverpool 3-3 draw at Palace
Three-nil up at Selhurst Park after fifty-five minutes; anyone would bank on Liverpool taking the full three points on the night, but Crystal Palace had other plans. Giving them arguably one of the most memorable nights in the history of their home ground, Palace stormed back in nine minutes to score three unanswered goals and in the end deny Liverpool their chance of putting their title run in their own hands on the final day.
It was discussed in the pre-match build up on Premier League Live that Liverpool insuring the full three points was the top priority, and that goal difference between themselves and Manchester City must only be a secondary objective. Despite Brendan Rodgers stating that he would gladly take a 1-0 win on the night, the Liverpool players did not receive the same memo.
For a club that has title ambitions, Liverpool have now surrendered 49 goals in 37 matches and despite being one goal away from scoring 100 on the year, it must be said that a strong defense is requisite of a side that has true ambitions of winning the title. After scoring three goals, Liverpool pressed on with the hopes of running up the score line with the aim of trying to catch Manchester City on goal difference, giving them another route to win the title should both end level on points on the final day – it would be their undoing.
As pointed out in the post-match, Liverpool lacked players on the pitch who would slow the tempo down and just close the match out via possession. The truth of the matter is, Liverpool’s vaunted attack was out for blood when caution would have been the better part of wisdom on the night. Despite Palace struggling all season long to score goals, their recent form since January 1st would see them 7th in the league if the season started on that date – their recent form needed to be considered in the equation tonight, not by Rodgers, but by the players. Where was Steven Gerrard’s experience and leadership on the pitch tonight when he needed to advocate seeing the result out rather than the outlandish and unreachable task of outscoring City in the run in to the end of the season. To say that Liverpool have bottled it is a gigantic understatement.
The title is firmly out of their hands as Liverpool now must truly hope for City to slip up, but the odds of that are remote. Rampant at home all season long, City have the relatively easy task of their final two matches being at the Etihad against Aston Villa and West Ham United. But far beyond their to remaining fixtures, City have been in these shoes before and perhaps that is the only difference that matters between the two. For all their talent and all their attacking grace, Liverpool have no title winners in their side, while City can call upon title winning experience to aid them in their hunt to close the title race out in their favor – experience is invaluable.
It must be said that it is hugely regrettable that Gerrard, one of the greatest English players arguably in the history of the both club and country, may have missed out on his best chance to finally take home a Premier League winners medal. Like it or not, it must be stated that come next season, Liverpool’s title rivals will all be stronger than they were this season – Chelsea will revamp, City will bring in another top talent, United will overhaul and Arsenal despite their lackluster second half of the season may surprise – this was Liverpool’s best chance to win the league for some time and it may be their only for a few years on yet.
And even if Liverpool end up without winning the league this season, credit still must be given to Brendan Rodgers to getting the most out of his players and squad that is far smaller than both City and Chelsea. Credit must also be given to so many Liverpool players to buying into the Rodgers project and providing football in the “Liverpool way” that will see them back into Europe. But if anything can be learned from tonight and from the season as a whole, it is that you cannot score your way to the title if you cannot also defend your way to the title just the same.