Mohamed Salah's 85th-minute winner saw the Egyptian net his 29th goal of the season and equal Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most goals in an English league campaign, as Liverpool came from a goal down against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League.

After Luka Milivojevic had given the hosts the lead from the penalty spot, Sadio Mané leveled the scores four minutes after the break, before Salah snatched a deserved three points for the Reds to cement their place in the top four.

For the Eagles, the South Londoners are once more thrust back into the relegation picture.

High-tempo opening

As the Premier League swung back into action after the international break, both sides were keen to impose themselves and begun in a high-tempo opening in South London.

It was hosts who almost drew first blood after Yohan Cabaye floated a ball over the visiting defence to find Wilfried Zaha, but on striking at goal was denied by a full-stretch block by Loris Karius in the Liverpool goal. 

At the opposite end, predictably Mohamed Salah was involved for the Reds this time from a creative perspective, as the Egyptian found Virgil van Dijk from a corner only for the Dutchman's goal-bound header deflecting wide off Sadio Mane. 

Milivojevic nets opener from spot

Seconds later however, it was then Palace who took the lead. Again it was Zaha who was causing havoc in the visiting back-line, this time beating Trent Alexander-Arnold to the ball and attempting to lob Karius goal-wards. In doing so, the Ivorian was felled inside the area as referee Neil Swarbrick pointed to the spot.

Luka Milivojevic, who had netted four times from the penalty spot this season stepped and coolly sent the German stopper the wrong way to give the hosts the lead. 

The Reds however were perhaps then unfortunate not to have a spot kick themselves after James McArthur made contact with Sadio Mane on the by-line, only for the Senegalese to have been adjudged to have made the most of the contact and was booked for simulation.

As the half-hour mark approached the visitors then went through the gear in search of a leveler. Salah had an effort well saved by Eagles 'keeper Wayne Hennessey, before Mane was flagged offside after flicking the ball into the Palace net. 

The momentum was building for Klopp's side but they were lacking a cutting edge in the final third. Nevertheless, Hennessey was again forced into a string of fine smart saves again from Salah's curling left-footed effort on the edge of the box, and from Mane's angled header from the Egyptian's corner.

The half-time whistle sounded to the relief of the watching home support as the Eagles reached the break ahead, but rather clinging on to their lead.

Mane levels shortly after break

Indeed on resumption, the visitors were on terms within four minutes of the restart.

James Milner was found in space on the left and with Mane waiting centrally, the England midfielder slid a low cross into the area as Mane crashed his effort home to level the scores at 1-1.

As Liverpool poured forward, an increasingly desperate-looking Palace defence was held up admirably by Mamadou Sakho who minutes later did well to cut up Alexander-Arnold's driven low cross from the boot of Salah for what would have been an easy tap-in.

In the face of a growing Red tide however, Christian Benteke was then presented with two glorious chances in as many minutes to restore the hosts' lead.

Twice Andros Townsend fed the Belgian after sloppy errors from the Reds defence but the forward on both occasions fluffed his lines to the frustration of his team-mates when clear on goal.

On the hour mark, Mane was then hugely fortunate to be given his marching orders for a deliberate handball after not being given a free-kick on the edge of his own area. Having been previously booked however, the forward remarkably escaped further punishment.

From the resulting set-piece, Patrick van Aanholt's thunderous drive was well clawed away by Karius to keep the scores level.

Salah decisive winner

As Klopp rung the changes, Adam Lallana was stopped in his tracks after sustaining what looked to be a recurrence of the knee injury that had kept the England man out of the action for most of the season. 

It could be a bitter blow for the former Saints man, and as Liverpool were forced to bring on Dejan Lovren in his place, the visitors had made their last throw of the dice in South London.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, the Reds flowed forward in numbers. Milner was again in the thick of the action in providing the final ball but the Palace defence were still able to scramble the ball away time after time.

There was little the hosts could do to prevent the man of the moment however.

After substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain floated a ball to the back post, the ball fell kindly for full-back Andy Robertson. The Scot then looked up and with Salah waiting in the six-yard area the Egyptian was found. The prolific Reds marksman composed himself and lost his marker Sakho and then slotted the ball past Hennessey for his 29th goal of the campaign to give Liverpool what was arguably a deserved lead - albeit a late one.

The visitors went in search of a late leveler themselves but Liverpool held on with relative ease to cement their place in the top four, whilst Palace now once again look nervously over their shoulders just two points off the bottom three.

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About the author
Neil Leverett at Selhurst Park
33 year old writer living in London. Arsenal fan but all rounder, specializing in sporting analysis, in particular football.