RED-HOT BENTEKE

PALACE goal hero Christian Benteke came back to haunt Liverpool as he dented his old club’s top-four ambitions.

Philippe Coutinho got the opener but the ex-Reds hitman – who left Anfield in the summer – scored in either half to fire the Eagles seven points clear of danger.

It leaves Jurgen Klopp’s men just two points ahead of Manchester City in fourth place, having played two games more.

The Liverpool boss said: “I have no idea how Crystal Palace are in the situation they are. We knew it would be a difficult game.

“We dominated the match but we could not finalise it.

“Everyone thinks the Champions League has slipped through our fingers but we have a month to stay positive.”

It had all started so well. Coutinho won a free-kick himself with a smart turn in 24 minutes and curled home from almost 30 yards out.

Liverpool managed the game well enough for long periods, gave Palace few set-pieces and looked in control. Until the inevitable mistake.

It came when a long ball caught Dejan Lovren flat-footed and embarrassed by being outrun by Yohan Cabaye, Benteke was left alone to strike high into the net.

Coutinho should have had a penalty when he was tripped by Martin Kelly but didn’t go down.

Then from an Andros Townsend corner, James Milner missed an easy near-post ball and Lovren and Emre Can slept as Benteke nodded home.

Palace boss Sam Allardyce said: “It’s been hard work but we are looking up. This result makes life much easier.”