Late Roberto Firmino strike seals victory for Liverpool at Crystal Palace

Roberto Firmino's goal five minutes from time secured all three points for leaders Liverpool, shortly after Wilfried Zaha had brought Crystal Palace level.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner prompted a goalmouth scramble which ended with the Brazilian slotting home from five yards out.

Three minutes prior, former Red Christian Benteke dribbled into the area and squeezed a ball through to Andros Townsend and he then cleverly fed Zaha who fired home.

Sadio Mane had given Liverpool the lead shortly after the break, seeing his deflected shot go in via the goalkeeper's glove and two posts, but Palace will feel aggrieved to have had a goal ruled out by VAR on the stroke of half time.

James Tomkins nodded in a free-kick at the back post but, despite the referee awarding a goal, it was eventually ruled out by VAR for a push from Jordan Ayew on Dejan Lovren.

Zaha missed a good chance to make it 2-2 late on as Liverpool rode their luck somewhat - and Mane's goal had been their first shot on target - but they remain eight points clear at the top of the table and are now 30 league games unbeaten.

VAR takes centre stage once more. Much of the focus will be on Palace’s disallowed goal just before the break and it is a decision that will divide opinion, it had a huge impact on the game. Ayew nudged Lovren off the ball - so, sure, it was a foul by the letter of the law - but it had no impact on the actual outcome of the free-kick itself and is the type of minor crime that goes unpunished countless times over the course of a match. The issue is consistency - and there have been far more obvious errors not corrected by VAR this season. Had this happened last season and the goal been allowed to stand, there would have been little dissent from Liverpool and that is perhaps the most damning thing. VAR is causing more controversy than it is resolving and overshadows another impressive win that Liverpool fought hard to grind out.

Sadio Mane (Liverpool). Palace were never able together to grips with his intelligent runs and, whilst not his most clinical performance, he still came up with a goal when Liverpool needed one.

17’ - BAD MISS! Palace waste a great chance as Alexander-Arnold gives the ball away in his own half and it eventually ends up at the feet of Kouyate, who picks out Ayew with a great cross, but the Ghanaian pokes wide.

45’ GOAL DISALLOWED! Zaha wins a free-kick by the corner flag and a whipped cross is flicked on by a Liverpool player, allowing Tomkins to head in unmarked at the back post. There was a slight nudge on Lovren - well off the ball - and the goal is eventually ruled out after a two-minute consultation.

49’ - GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool. (Mane). Robertson's scuffed cross runs to Mane, who takes it down and then sees his deflected effort tipped onto one post and then the other by Guaita, but it bounces in off the second post and Mane makes amends for that miss immediately.

65’ - SAVE! Liverpool are on top now and suddenly Firmino is through on goal, but Guaita tips his poked effort round the post.

78’ - CLOSE! Benteke is inches away from a fairytale goal as he produces an overhead kick to meet a cross, but the ball fizzes past the post.

82’ - GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Liverpool (Zaha). Benteke carries the past Lovren and into the penalty area, before getting his pass a little wrong. Palace keep their composure though and Townsend works the ball to Zaha, who lets it roll across his body before slamming home!

85’ - GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool (Firmino). There's a goalmouth scramble from the corner, Palace can't clear their lines and Firmino hacks in.

Crystal Palace: Guaita 7, Ward 6, Cahill 6, Tomkins 6, Van Aanholt 7, McArthur 6, Kouyate 7, Milivojevic 7, Townsend 7, Zaha 7, Ayew 5. Subs: Kelly 6, Schlupp 6, Benteke 7.

Liverpool: Alisson 6, Robertson 6, Van Dijk 7, Lovren 6, Alexander-Arnold 6, Fabinho 6, Henderson 5, Wijnaldum 5, Oxlade-Chamberlain 6, Firmino 6, Mane 7. Subs: Milner 6, Origi 5, Gomez 6.