Oliver Glasner's thrilling Crystal Palace side are on the march as they brutally expose Liverpool's weaknesses, says chief football writer Phil McNulty
Crystal Palace's rising stature spread to Selhurst Park's "Holmesdale Fanatics" as they watched the frailties Liverpool have shown this season being brutally exposed.
The Eagles had torn the visitors to shreds for 34 minutes, with somehow only an Ismaila Sarr goal to show for their superiority, when the club's famous section of support delivered their verdict.
"We're going to win the league" echoed around this great old atmospheric stadium - optimism taken to the extreme perhaps, but a clear signal of just how good this Palace side is.
Liverpool have lived on the precipice all season, even when racking up five successive Premier League victories, an influx of new and expensive signings failing to disguise defensive flaws first uncovered at Wembley in August when Palace beat them to lift the Community Shield on penalties.
Oliver Glasner's side refused to let the Reds off the hook, as has happened on occasion with other opponents this term, although they did their best when only going in 1-0 up at half-time when it could have been 6-0.
Sarr's ninth-minute opener was scant reward for a pulsating Palace performance, Liverpool keeper Alisson - the one player in their side to emerge with credit - saving superbly from Yeremy Pino, Daniel Munoz and Jean-Philippe Mateta, who also struck the woodwork.
It looked like an outstanding performance would only yield a point after Federico Chiesa's 87th-minute equaliser, only for Liverpool to become the biter bit when substitute Eddie Nketiah scored a deserved winner with virtually the last kick of the game in the 97th minute.
It was only their second league win over Liverpool in 17 meetings and first at home since 2014.
Selhurst Park went wild in celebration, but these are the sort of scenes Palace fans are becoming accustomed to under the superb leadership of Austrian Glasner.
Palace have now gone 18 games unbeaten in all competitions, which included the historic FA Cup win against Manchester City back in May, to equal a club record set back in 1969.
This success sent them up to second place, three points behind reigning champions Liverpool after an impressive start.
Glasner's animated touchline energy transmits itself to a team with class in all areas, and one fully deserving of its current lofty position in the table.
Keeper Dean Henderson was outstanding when called upon, reacting to turn Ryan Gravenberch's shot on to the post in the first half, while captain and key defender Marc Guehi showed exactly why there was such disappointment at Liverpool when a proposed £35m move to Anfield collapsed on transfer deadline day.
What a contrast Guehi's composure was to the chaos in Liverpool's backline, where Ibrahima Konate struggled and captain Virgil van Dijk was so unsettled he was eventually booked for dissent.
To add insult to injury for the vulnerable visitors, Guehi even had an assist in the build-up to Nketiah's winner when a long throw-in caused defensive jitters - just like a corner did for Palace's first.
Adam Wharton is surely an England regular in the making, the loping socks-down style not disguising an elegant, competitive midfield operator of the highest order. Daichi Kamada was equally industrious and effective.
Sarr offers quality in attack and, while fellow forward Mateta can be hit and miss - more miss than hit here - the Frenchman is a tireless, constant menace.
And behind it all is the charismatic Glasner, a transformative figure at Palace and one chairman Steve Parish will be desperate to keep at Selhurst Park.
Palace, with eight wins and 10 draws, are enjoying their joint-longest unbeaten run as a club, also 18 from February to August 1969. Three matches in that unbeaten run have been against Liverpool too.
The Eagles are now the only unbeaten Premier League side, having won three and drawn three of their opening six games.
When they last achieved such a feat in 1990-91, Palace went on to finish third for their highest ever top-flight position.
A delighted Glasner told BBC's Match of the Day: "We played an amazing first half and had a deserved lead. We deserved the win.
"To overcome the pressure of Liverpool - they deserved an equaliser - but I'm delighted at the reaction of our team.
"We talk about our personality. We always go for the win. Everybody who is close to Crystal Palace got their reward here.
"The players showed so much confidence. We made so many runs, the quality of the passes, runs into the box, it was excellent.
"We will analyse the game and take in all this positivity. You have to enjoy these moments otherwise you have to ask why you are doing it."
Liverpool have, in some respects, had a day like this coming.
They have traded heavily in late goals this season to win against Bournemouth, Newcastle United, Burnley and Arsenal. It was unsustainable, although they almost did it again through Chiesa's effort until Nketiah made Liverpool experience their own heartbreak.
For all their seven successive victories in all competitions, this is very much a work in progress with so many acquisitions.
The "stupidity" - Slot's description - of in-form striker Hugo Ekitike landing himself with a one-match ban - a second yellow card and dismissal for taking his shirt off - after scoring the midweek winner against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, was underlined here.
The Frenchman, who has five goals in seven games, might have made a difference to Liverpool's attack.
Alexander Isak, the club's record £125m buy, was handed his first league start but looks a long way from full fitness, drawing the scorn of Palace's fans with the predictable chants of "what a waste of money" when he was withdrawn after missing a clear chance he had at least created for himself.
Florian Wirtz, a little cheaper at £116m, is also still figuring out how best to fit into a side and system that dominated the league last season. The German was anonymous apart from one chance from six yards which he steered straight into Henderson's hands.
Liverpool are still in pole position, but the issues that have troubled them finally came home to roost at Selhurst Park.
No such problems, though, for an ecstatic Palace and their supporters.
Can they, as the "Holmesdale Fanatics" suggested, win the Premier League?
It seems highly unlikely, but this thrilling, determined side will offer hope, and provide excitement and more joyous moments throughout this campaign.
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Category: General Sports
