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| Klopp clashed with Alan Pardew on the touchline more than once |
"YOU must be sick of us," chanted the visiting Crystal Palace supporters.
Jurgen Klopp has only spent one afternoon in their company, but he would no doubt concur.
After exactly a month in charge, Klopp was to endure his first defeat and in the coming days he will have cause to consider the role he played in his side's downfall.
Palace claimed a slice of history with a third successive league win over Liverpool - Scott Dann, a former season-ticket holder at Anfield, conjuring the winning goal with seven minutes of remaining - but the invitation to breathlessly pursue a victory had been handed to them. Klopp's insistence tiredness could not be used as an excuse after the Europa League trip to Russia held firm. Instead, his tactics came under scrutiny.
The substitution of Emre Can after 65 minutes, Roberto Firmino was ushered on his place, represented a roll of the dice which suggested the manager was prepared to pursue a victory at all costs. He was to lose. The switch left Liverpool with one defensive-minded midfielder on the pitch in captain Lucas Leiva and a 4-1-4-1 formation did not nothing to stem the attacks Palace sought to build.
That pressure, combined with the host's continued inability to defend set-pieces, told and when Dann's initial header from Yohan Cabaye's corner was saved, the defender reacted quickest to head in the rebound.
A point against opponents, who have established themselves as something of a bogey side since that remarkable comeback derailed a title challenge in May 2014, should not have been sniffed at. For there is plenty to admire about Palace, both as a team and club, and Alan Pardew has assembled a side brimming with pace and power on the counter-attack.
It was aligned, therefore, to feast on Liverpool's shortcomings and the first mistake heralded the opening goal.
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| Steven Gerrard was no good omen for Liverpool at Anfield |
Alberto Moreno was weak in the tackle and when Wilfried Zaha delivered a low centre Can elected against putting his foot through the ball and tried to cushion a pass to a red shirt near his own penalty spot. It was similar to his flawed clearance against Everton at the start of the month and now, as then, he was punished.
Yannick Bolasie took a touch, pivoted backwards and rifled a blistering shot through a crowd of bodies and beyond Simon Mignolet from 12-yards. Only twice since the start of last season have Liverpool gone on to win a league game when conceding first, but initially there was belief in their ranks and in the stands. Christian Benteke saw a downward header clawed away by Wayne Hennessey before miscuing after neat interplay between Philippe Coutinho, Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana.
When parity was restored shortly before the interval, the fingerprints of all three were all over the equaliser.
Lallana found the overlapping Clyne and then continued his run into the penalty area where he applied a telling back-heeled flick to the full-back's low centre. It fell to Coutinho to dispatch the chance from 10-yards.
Yet Palace, as Manchester United discovered last week, are not breached easily.
James McArthur kicked away a goalbound header from Dejan Lovren, who came on after 40-minutes for Mamadou Sakho who left Anfield on crutches with a knee injury that will require a scan today, and Benteke should have done better with a headed chance he directed a yard too high.
Otherwise. Palace happily stood toe-to-toe. Zaha hared down the right, skinning the covering Coutinho in the process, and crossing for Bakary Sakho who put his chance into the side-netting as the helter-skelter persisted.
That represented a let-off, but Dann's determination and bravery was to reap its reward. The last time Crystal Palace were here they proceeded to ruin Steven Gerrard's farewell. The LA Galaxy midfielder was back yesterday, sitting at the rear of the directors' box it between Jordan Henderson and Jon Flanagan, though his return was not to go with a swing.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Mignolet 6; Clyne 6, Skrtel 7, Sakho 6 (Lovren 40 6), Moreno 6; Lucas 7, Can 6 (Firmino 65 6); Ibe 6 (Origi 87), Lallana 6, Coutinho 7; Benteke 6.
Booked: Clyne
Goals: Coutinho (42)
Next Up: Manchester City (a) PL Nov 21
Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Hennessey 7; Kelly 6, Dann 8, Delaney 7, Souare 6; Cabaye 7 (Mutch 87), McArthur 7; Zaha 7, Puncheon 6 (Ledley 79 5), Sako 7 (Wickham 65 5); Bolasie 7.
Booked: Puncheon, Soares
Goals: Bolasie (21), Dann (83)
Next Up: Sunderland (h) PL Nov 23
Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)
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