December 09, (THEWILL) – Liverpool came from behind to defeat Crystal Palace 2-1 away from home on Saturday, in a controversial English Premier League affair filled with questionable refereeing decisions and a milestone goal for Mohamed Salah. The Reds now sit atop the table, despite an unconvincing performance at Selhurst Park.
The major talking point was Jordan Ayew’s 74th-minute dismissal, which seemed harsh and drastically altered the game’s momentum. Ayew received a second yellow card for a seemingly innocuous challenge on Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott. Mere seconds later, Salah equalised for the visitors with his 200th goal for the club.
Palace had taken a deserved 57th-minute lead when Jean-Philippe Mateta converted from the penalty spot after VAR asked referee Andy Madley to review a possible foul on the striker. However, the hosts were infuriated by VAR overturning their penalty claim just 30 minutes in, after deeming Will Hughes had committed a foul in the build-up.
The game’s defining moment came in stoppage time when Elliott thumped in a crisp winner to cap Liverpool’s smash-and-grab victory. The Reds mustered only two shots on target all match, needing outstanding goalkeeping from Alisson to keep them level earlier on.
With all the officiating controversies, Liverpool will simply be relieved to emerge with three vital points to cement their surprise position at the EPL summit as 2023 draws to a close.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
