Liverpool // The raucous Londoners crowed as history was made. “You must be sick of us,” chorused the Crystal Palace supporters.
They began 2015 having won once at Anfield. They will end it with three victories on Liverpool turf.
If one Liverpool supporter could savour their success – Scott Dann, a former Anfield season ticket-holder, scored the winner against his hometown club – another must find the prowess of Alan Pardew’s team especially galling.
There have been times in 2015, particularly during his extended farewell as a Liverpool player, when Steven Gerrard has seemed luckless.
His Anfield goodbye in May was ruined by Palace. He was sat in the directors’ box on his first return as an LA Galaxy footballer but, if much else has changed, the outcome remained the same.
Another display of counter-attacking panache yielded three more points for Palace.
They were notable because, after a six-game unbeaten start, Jurgen Klopp suffered his first defeat as Liverpool manager.
“It feels bad because it is so absolutely not necessary,” said the German, rueing Liverpool’s self-destructive streak.
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There was evidence of his impact, if not enough for the perfectionist of a manager himself. His team played at pace, fashioned chances and engineered optimism at Anfield. They were nonetheless beaten.
It was a reflection of Palace’s verve and of Liverpool’s shortcomings.
A team whose set-pieces frailties have been a recurring theme conceded the decisive goal to a corner.
Dann won two headers either side of a limp save from Simon Mignolet. “He had about 15 family members here,” said Pardew. “He was asking for tickets off everyone.”
The Dann clan could celebrate, too, when Liverpool presented the first goal to the visitors with Emre Can making a half-hearted attempt to clear Wilfried Zaha’s cross and allowing Yannick Bolasie to slot home.
“He has been quiet this season but that was by far his best game,” Pardew said.
Bolasie is nevertheless an emblematic figure in Palace’s idiosyncratic formula. They fielded a front four consisting entirely of wingers, each boasting speed and skill, but none exactly resembling a centre-forward. Bakary Sako and Bolasie were nominally deployed as such, but each brought a winger’s fondness for elusive running.
The irony for Liverpool was that, as they finally had a fully fit, high-class centre-forward, with Christian Benteke beginning a first league game under Klopp, they lost to a team who had dispensed with strikers.
The Belgian, a specialist scorer, was profligate while Palace struck through a winger and, in Dann, Benteke’s marker.
Liverpool had levelled through a midfielder. Coutinho’s third goal in two league games was fashioned by Adam Lallana, with a deft flick, after Jordon Ibe and Nathaniel Clyne teamed up well on the right.
Klopp’s attacking instinct was apparent in the search for a winner. When Can was replaced by Roberto Firmino, he fielded five attack-minded players. He was disappointed with their response to Dann’s goal, from players and supporters alike.
“I saw many people leaving the stadium. I felt pretty alone at this moment,” Klopp said.
“Between 82 and 94 [minutes] you can make eight goals, if you like.”
His worries were compounded by the loss of Mamadou Sakho, who left Anfield on crutches with his knee in a brace.
Klopp said: “I would prefer to lose 4-1 and keep him.” This, though, was a day when his wishes were not granted.
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