It was the match that could not be lost and was lost and today, in the light of reality beyond the mathematical options, a probably irrecoverable ground has been given up in the definition of the Premier League.
Liverpool failed at Anfield and fell 0-1 against a combative Crystal Palace, who did everything, absolutely everything well, in a match with 14 scoring chances for the red team that were incredibly wasted. The players fallen on the field, on the verge of tears, sum up everything: loss of the undefeated team at home and, worse still, perhaps definitive advantage for Manchester City and Arsenal in the fight for the title that really matters. The duel between Colombians, that of Díaz against Muñoz and Lerma, all from the National Team, was won by the latter in luxury.
It was the visitor who first came alive just after 40 seconds, with a double attempt that challenged Alisson Becker, back from his injury.
It was another nightmare in defense at the start when the Reds looked, prey to helplessness, at the triangulation of their rival through the Bradley boy’s area and the entry into the area of Mitchell and Eberi Eche for the latter’s great goal, which was a 0-0. 1 unexpected and terrifying, thinking about the recent victory at the hands of Atalanta in the Europa League. And he was saved from the second, at 17, when Robertson corrected his goalkeeper’s mistake and literally took Mateta’s great shot off the line.
Lerma’s game was superb, neutralizing Núñez and Salah, Muñoz projected well and Díaz suffered in a Liverpool team that was once again very weak in its own zone and imprecise and dense at the start.
Until Klopp’s team finally seemed to come back to life, when Endo hit the crossbar in the 27th minute and a minute later the goalkeeper found the ball in Díaz’s sensational shot, his first of the afternoon.
Salah’s turn at 31, again against the saving goalkeeper,
For the complement, Szoboszlai on the field and, due to Bradley’s injury and in full applause from the public, Alexander-Arnold returned after a long absence.
What was impossible to believe is that Darwin’s great option, facing the goalkeeper for the tie, bounced off Henderson’s knee in his second moment of pure fortune in the match and Muñoz won all the duels against Díaz in the suffocating brand that turned out well, of course if you know it better than anyone.
Perhaps because of that or desperation, Díaz left in the company of Núñez at 66 to make way for Gakpo and Jota.
Muñoz miraculously saved the tie from Jota and again Jones in the one-on-one that was open, but the home owner was saved in the 73rd minute by Mateta’s option. And it was already pure anguish, everything in an Anfield that could not believe how so much was wasted, how it seemed that destiny was determined to deny them the goal.
And time was running out, and the changes did not work in some cases or were delayed in others (Elliot arrived late, at 82, due to Jones being imprecise) and it is inexplicable how at least the game was not tied and the games stagnated. of Klopp in 71 points, a puncture that may well define the Premier after the last win by Manchester City (73 points) and Arsenal’s pending match (71) against Aston Villa.
None of that was the fault of Crystal Palace, who played a great game, which neutralized Díaz with Muñoz and Núñez and Salah with Lerma, the two Colombians enormous at Anfield, a victory that could have ensured permanence, since they were 8 points away from the zone red.