CRYSTAL Palace’s rising stature spread to Selhurst Park’s “Holmesdale Fanatics” as they watched the frailties Liverpool have shown this season being brutally exposed.

The Eagles had torn the visitors to shreds for 34 minutes, with somehow only an Ismaila Sarr goal to show for their superiority, when the club’s famous section of support delivered their verdict.

“We’re going to win the league” echoed around this great old atmospheric stadium – optimism taken to the extreme perhaps, but a clear signal of just how good this Palace side is.

Liverpool have lived on the precipice all season, even when racking up five successive Premier League victories, an influx of new and expensive signings failing to disguise defensive flaws first uncovered at Wembley in August when Palace beat them to lift the Community Shield on penalties.

Oliver Glasner’s side refused to let the Reds off the hook, as has happened on occasion with other opponents this term, although they did their best when only going in 1-0 up at half-time when it could have been 6-0.

Sarr’s ninth-minute opener was scant reward for a pulsating Palace performance, Liverpool keeper Alisson – the one player in their side to emerge with credit – saving superbly from Yeremy Pino, Daniel Munoz and Jean-Philippe Mateta, who also struck the woodwork.

It looked like an outstanding performance would only yield a point after Federico Chiesa’s 87th-minute equaliser, only for Liverpool to become the biter bit when substitute Eddie Nketiah scored a deserved winner with virtually the last kick of the game in the 97th minute.

It was only their second league win over Liverpool in 17 meetings and first at home since 2014.

Selhurst Park went wild in celebration, but these are the sort of scenes Palace fans are becoming accustomed to under the superb leadership of Austrian Glasner.

Palace have now gone 18 games unbeaten in all competitions, which included the historic FA Cup win against Manchester City back in May, to equal a club record set back in 1969.

This success sent them up to second place, three points behind reigning champions Liverpool after an impressive start.

Glasner’s animated touchline energy transmits itself to a team with class in all areas, and one fully deserving of its current lofty position in the table.

Keeper Dean Henderson was outstanding when called upon, reacting to turn Ryan Gravenberch’s shot on to the post in the first half, while captain and key defender Marc Guehi showed exactly why there was such disappointment at Liverpool when a proposed £35m move to Anfield collapsed on transfer deadline day.

What a contrast Guehi’s composure was to the chaos in Liverpool’s backline, where Ibrahima Konate struggled and captain Virgil van Dijk was so unsettled he was eventually booked for dissent.

To add insult to injury for the vulnerable visitors, Guehi even had an assist in the build-up to Nketiah’s winner when a long throw-in caused defensive jitters – just like a corner did for Palace’s first.

Adam Wharton is surely an England regular in the making, the loping socks-down style not disguising an elegant, competitive midfield operator of the highest order. Daichi Kamada was equally industrious and effective.

Sarr offers quality in attack and, while fellow forward Mateta can be hit and miss – more miss than hit here – the Frenchman is a tireless, constant menace. (BBC Sport)