In a matter of 10 minutes, Liverpool went from padding their goal difference in anticipation of a final-day sprint for the title with Manchester City to surrendering three goals to Crystal Palace — each one more stinging than the last — and handing the title to Man City a week early in the process.
Though Luis Suarez matched the Premier League record for goals scored in a season (31) as Liverpool built up a 3-0 lead before the hour mark, he was still in tears after the final whistle blew and had to be led off the pitch by teammate Kolo Toure with his head buried inside his shirt.
Only once before have Liverpool squandered a three-goal lead and that was 14 years ago against Southampton in a match that wasn’t nearly as important as this one.
Liverpool were in total control of the match and chipping away at Man City’s goal difference advantage with the confidence of chasing their first domestic league title in 24 years building. But then Crystal Palace happened.
The club that manager Tony Pulis has remarkably taken from last-place to 11th in the table since he joined in late November took advantage of the dismal defending that has plagued Liverpool all season and slapped them with three goals in the final 10 minutes to snatch a 3-3 draw.
The game was all but over before they did that. And after they did, it was Liverpool’s season that had realistically ended (their only chance to win the title now is if they win their final match of the season against Newcastle and Man City take just three points from their last two games at home against Aston Villa and West Ham — an unlikely proposition considering they’ve only lost once at home all season).
Video of scenes after the game
By: Citi Sports