By Sam DruryBBC Sport

Eberechi Eze converted from Tyrick Mitchell's cut-back to finish off a flowing Palace move early on and the visitors were deservedly in front at the break.

Jurgen Klopp's Reds ramped up the pressure in the second half but, just as in recent games against Manchester United and Atalanta, their finishing let them down as they fell to a first league loss at home since October 2022.

Defeat leaves Liverpool two points behind leaders Manchester City and level on points with Arsenal before the Gunners' game against Aston Villa later on Sunday (16:30 BST kick-off).

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Palace started brightly and led through Eze's well-worked opener, before a slip from Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk gave Jean-Philippe Mateta a golden opportunity to double their lead.

The striker was clean through and lifted his effort past the returning Alisson Becker but Andy Robertson sprinted back to hook the ball off the line.

Liverpool rallied and Wataru Endo struck the bar after Palace failed to deal with a corner before Dean Henderson made a fine reaction save to deny Luis Diaz.

Oliver Glasner's Palace retained a threat on the counter-attack until the break but were largely penned inside their own half in the second 45 minutes.

Henderson made another superb stop from Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota's close-range effort was blocked by Nathaniel Clyne with the goalkeeper nowhere to be seen and Curtis Jones somehow sliced wide when put clean through.

Mateta did have another big chance to score the visitors' second from a rare Palace attack but Alisson made a remarkable save from point-blank range.

Liverpool kept pushing for an equaliser but could not find a way through, with Mohamed Salah's goalbound effort from inside the six-yard box blocked by Mitchell in stoppage time.

The Reds are now left to reflect on a potentially decisive loss with just six games remaining in the league campaign.

Nightmare week leaves Reds' season on brink

Liverpool headed into last Sunday's match at Old Trafford two points clear at the top of the table and favourites to win the Europa League.

A week on and both trophies appear to be slipping out of their grasp.

If there has been a common theme across the three games in the past seven days, it has been the Reds' profligacy in front of goal.

At Manchester United and against Atalanta, they created countless chances and it was no different against Palace, especially in the second half.

Once more though they lacked the ruthlessness to make them count.

Even after a lacklustre first-half showing, Liverpool did more than enough to win the game but the crucial final touch deserted them.

With six league games and a Europa League quarter-final second leg still to play, all is not lost but if Liverpool are to deliver a fairytale ending to Klopp's time in charge, they will have to be perfect from here.

But even that may no longer be enough.

More to follow.

Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game.

The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection

LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpoolCrystal PalaceCrystal PalaceCrystal PalaceLiverpool

Starting XI

AvgSquad number1Player nameAlissonAverage rating

4.07

12345678910Squad number84Player nameBradleyAverage rating

3.87

12345678910Squad number5Player nameKonatéAverage rating

3.46

12345678910Squad number4Player namevan DijkAverage rating

3.57

12345678910Squad number26Player nameRobertsonAverage rating

4.46

12345678910Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating

3.89

12345678910Squad number3Player nameEndoAverage rating

3.45

12345678910Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating

3.48

12345678910Squad number11Player nameMohamed SalahAverage rating

2.92

12345678910Squad number9Player nameNúñezAverage rating

3.36

12345678910Squad number7Player nameDíazAverage rating

3.57

12345678910

Substitutes

AvgSquad number8Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating

3.45

12345678910Squad number18Player nameGakpoAverage rating

3.35

12345678910Squad number19Player nameElliottAverage rating

3.22

12345678910Squad number20Player nameDiogo JotaAverage rating

3.36

12345678910Squad number66Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating

3.63

12345678910Crystal Palace

Starting XI

AvgSquad number30Player nameHendersonAverage rating

7.98

12345678910Squad number17Player nameClyneAverage rating

7.82

12345678910Squad number16Player nameAndersenAverage rating

8.10

12345678910Squad number8Player nameLermaAverage rating

8.04

12345678910Squad number12Player nameMuñozAverage rating

8.04

12345678910Squad number20Player nameA WhartonAverage rating

8.25

12345678910Squad number19Player nameHughesAverage rating

7.97

12345678910Squad number3Player nameMitchellAverage rating

8.13

12345678910Squad number7Player nameOliseAverage rating

8.22

12345678910Squad number14Player nameMatetaAverage rating

8.12

12345678910Squad number10Player nameEzeAverage rating

8.52

12345678910

Substitutes

AvgSquad number2Player nameWardAverage rating

8.22

12345678910Squad number9Player nameJ AyewAverage rating

8.08

12345678910Squad number15Player nameSchluppAverage rating

8.13

12345678910Squad number22Player nameÉdouardAverage rating

8.09

12345678910Squad number44Player nameRiedewaldAverage rating

8.05

12345678910Line-upsMatch StatsLive TextLine-upsLiverpool

Formation 4-3-3

1Alisson

84Bradley5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson

10Mac Allister3Endo17Jones

11Salah9Núñez7Díaz

1Alisson84BradleySubstituted forAlexander-Arnoldat 48'minutes5Konaté4van Dijk26Robertson10Mac Allister3EndoSubstituted forSzoboszlaiat 45'minutes17JonesBooked at 71minsSubstituted forElliottat 82'minutes11Salah9NúñezSubstituted forGakpoat 66'minutes7DíazSubstituted forJotaat 66'minutesSubstitutes2Gomez8Szoboszlai18Gakpo19Elliott20Jota38Gravenberch62Kelleher66Alexander-Arnold78QuansahCrystal Palace

Formation 3-4-3

30Henderson

17Clyne16Andersen8Lerma

12Muñoz20A Wharton19Hughes3Mitchell

7Olise14Mateta10Eze

30Henderson17ClyneSubstituted forWardat 77'minutes16Andersen8LermaBooked at 90mins12Muñoz20A Wharton19HughesSubstituted forRiedewaldat 77'minutes3Mitchell7OliseSubstituted forJ Ayewat 68'minutes14MatetaSubstituted forÉdouardat 90'minutes10EzeSubstituted forSchluppat 77'minutesSubstitutes2Ward5Tomkins9J Ayew15Schlupp22Édouard29Ahamada31Matthews44Riedewald52OzohReferee:Chris KavanaghLive TextPost update

Match ends, Liverpool 0, Crystal Palace 1.

Full Time
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