Liverpool 0-2 Crystal Palace
Liverpool were dealt another blow on Wednesday night when they were sent crashing out of the FA Cup at home to Crystal Palace in a 4th round replay.
The night began well for the Reds, with a great deal of pressure being put on the Palace goal early in the game, but as has been the case so often this season, those faced with putting the ball in the net failed time and time again to beat Cedric Berthelin in the Crystal Palace goal.
Owen put the ball wide when faced with a one on one chance, after a flick on from Cheyrou had sent him clear. Owen again was guilty later in the half when he smashed a shot high into the Kop from just 6 yards out, after excellent play down the right by Diouf and Heskey.
Cheyrou almost went clear through on goal in the later stages of the half, but a brilliant challenge by Butterfieldtook the ball away from the Frenchman, though it was picked up by Owen who again failed to put away a chance from inside the area with only the keeper ahead of him.
Despite dominating the first half though, when Liverpool created enough chances to have won the tie twice over, The Reds' best chance of the whole match came shortly after the break.
Following a defensive clearance from a Palace free kick just outside the Liverpool penalty area, Emile Heskey took advantage of a mix up between
Dougie Freedman, a first half sub for Palace, played set up Butterfield for a cross from the right hand side, which was flicked on by Adebola to the far post, where Julian Gray met the ball to volley a fierce shot past Dudek to give the Londoners a shock lead.
Andy Johnson could have doubled the lead moments later, but with only Dudek to beat, Johnson saw his shot well saved by the Pole, who just managed to get fingertips to the ball to push it wide of the post.
As Palace battled to hold onto their lead though, Dougie Freedman saw himself sent off for a blatant elbow on Sami Hyypia after the ball had been played. Referee Phil Dowd was perfectly positioned to see the incident and brought out a red card within seconds to make Palace's task even more difficult.
But things were made slightly easier for them on 79 minutes, when Stephane Henchoz attempted to cut out a cross from the left by Gray, but instead managed only to head past Dudek and give Crystal Palace a 2-0 lead.
Yet again, as in the Champions League, and as in certain games during Liverpool's bad run, it was poor finishing which cost Liverpool victory, and this latest defeat leaves the Reds out of three of the four competitions which they started the season in.
Liverpool's next game is at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday, when they'll be aiming to record a first home Premiership win in more than 3 months.
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