Crystal Palace spoil Steven Gerrard’s Anfield farewell

Steven Gerrard’s emotional Anfield farewell ended in sombre fashion after Crystal Palace beat Liverpool 3-1.

Adam Lallana had given Liverpool a 26-th minute lead when he capitalised on a poor Martin Kelly pass but the sides went to the break at parity after Jason Puncheon’s superlative free-kick on 43 minutes.

Palace were the better side for large swathes of the game and that superiority was rewarded when second-half substitute Wilfried Zaha bundled the ball home on the hour mark.

As Liverpool pushed for that elusive equaliser, Palace broke and Zaha won a penalty from Lucas Leiva.

Replays suggested that the offending challenge was outside the box but it mattered little as Glenn Murray followed up his own saved penalty to make it three as Gerrard’s final appearance at Anfield ended in disappointment.

The hosts were thoroughly outplayed by a lively Palace side whose direct running, crisp passing and quick movement outfoxed a passive Liverpool.

During a tepid opening 45 minutes Crystal Palace had more than held their own against a Liverpool side monopolising possession but doing very little with the ball. But they had only themselves to blame for going a goal down after Martin Kelly’s wayward backpass played in Lallana who had the pace and composure to fire Liverpool into the lead.

But Palace responded well, with Joe Ledley and Yannick Bolasie both missing presentable opportunities before Jason Puncheon whipped a free kick home from 20 yards out.

The visitors took great heart from the equaliser and took charge in the second half, with Wilfried Zaha’s goal a just reward for their attacking endeavour. Glenn Murray put the gloss on an already polished performance in injury time.

26’: LALLANA GOAL – Liverpool 1-0 Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace have shot themselves in the foot. It's a poor pass from Martin Kelly, Adam Lallana is straight onto it and he has the composure to drive the ball beyond Wayne Hennessey and into the top corner for his fifth league goal of the season.

43’: PUNCHEON GOAL - Liverpool 1-1 Crystal Palace. Jason Puncheon's free kick is inch perfect. It nestles into the far bottom corner leaving Simon Mignolet stranded on the wrong side. Keeper to blame perhaps but it's an excellent free kick and no more than the visitors deserve.

60’: ZAHA GOAL! Liverpool 1-2 Crystal Palace. Super sub Wilf Zaha! He scores with his first touch! Yannick Bolasie has been a real threat down the right hand side and he drives into the Liverpool area, fires the ball across and Zaha is there to meet it unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box.

67’: BOLASIE OFF THE BAR! Yannick Bolasie once again is tearing the Liverpool defence apart and his left-footed effort slams against the bar from 12 yards out.

90’: MURRAY GOAL – Liverpool 1-3 Crystal Palace. Glenn Murrray's penalty is saved by Mignolet but it falls straight back to him and he makes no mistake from the rebound.

Crystal Palace fail to keep a clean sheet for the 13th consecutive PL match, their worst run since December 1997 to May 1998.

Jason Puncheon netted his third Premier League free-kick goal of the season – the joint-most by a player in the division, along with Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen.

Jason Puncheon is the first Premier League player to score directly from a free-kick in successive matches since Wayne Rooney did so in three successive matches in September 2013.

Crystal Palace have now scored three goals in each of their last three PL matches versus Liverpool.

Crystal Palace have won 19 Premier League away points in 2015, a joint-league high with Chelsea.

Liverpool can’t handle the big occasion. This was a poor performance from Brendan Rodgers’ side. There may have been little at stake, this may have been an end-of-season game with a testimonial feel to it, but the Reds were thoroughly second best and the pressure of Steven Gerrard’s final Anfield appearance showed. This is the biggest problem for Rodgers to solve this summer.

Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) – Ripped Liverpool apart time and again with his direct running at the Reds' centre backs. He scored a great free-kick and came close to notching a second a number of occasions.

Liverpool: Mignolet 6, Can 6, Skrtel 6, Lovren 5, Moreno 5, Gerrard 6, Henderson 6, Lallana 7, Coutinho 6, Ibe 6, Sterling 6… Subs: Lambert 5, Lucas 6, Sinclair 6.

Crystal Palace: Hennessey 6, Ward 6, Dann 7, Kelly 6, Souare 6, McArthu 6r, Ledley 7, Puncheon 8, Lee 6, Bolasie 8, Chamakh 6… Subs: Zaha 8, Mutch 6, Murray 7.