Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool: Score, Grades, Reaction from 2014/15 FA Cup Game

Liverpool advanced to the last eight of the FA Cup after coming from behind to win 2-1 at Crystal Palace on Saturday in a fifth-round clash at Selhurst Park.

The Reds dominated possession throughout the match but went behind in the 15th minute following Fraizer Campbell's opener.

Manager Brendan Rodgers introduced striker Mario Balotelli at half-time, and Liverpool quickly turned the match around. Daniel Sturridge netted the equaliser in the 49th minute before Balotelli won the free-kick that led to the go-ahead goal.

Taking the set piece himself, Balotelli forced a save from Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni, only for Adam Lallana to tuck in the rebound for the winner.

With the result, Liverpool moved into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, which they last lifted in 2006. If the Reds keep winning, they stand a chance of giving captain Steven Gerrard—who is set to depart the club for Major League Soccer at the end of the season—a storybook send-off with victory in the final on his birthday, May 30.

Indeed, Liverpool will be considered one of the favourites to go all the way—along with fellow Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal, who play their fifth-round ties later this weekend.

The sixth-round draw will be held Monday night at Deepdale following Manchester United's clash at Preston North End, per The Football Association.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Within moments of kick-off, Liverpool settled into the attack, dominating possession and trying to create danger in Crystal Palace's box. In the third minute, Lazar Markovic burst down the right before crossing into the area for Sturridge, whose shot flew just wide.

For all Liverpool's possession, however, Palace started to gain a foothold. And in the 15th minute, the hosts went ahead.

Scott Dann played a long ball out of the back to Dwight Gayle, who forced a save from Simon Mignolet. The ball bounced to Campbell, who tucked in the rebound for a 1-0 Palace lead.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Liverpool went right back on the attack and dominated most of the remaining minutes of the first half without finding the back of the net. 

In the 21st minute, Speroni made a superb save to deny Lallana from close range. Two minutes later, Dann blocked what appeared to be a goalbound effort from Philippe Coutinho.

Jordan Henderson had a go from long distance in the 30th minute, but Speroni saved again. Joe Allen narrowly missed the target with a 32nd-minute volley, and Coutinho had another shot saved seven minutes later.

Palace still created some danger of their own, and in the 42nd minute, Mignolet made a fine save to keep the match at 1-0. Pape Souare played a long ball forward for Yannick Bolasie, who played in Gayle. Mignolet came off his line quickly to deny Gayle after the ball had deflected off Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.

Liverpool made a change at the break, introducing Balotelli—who had scored the winner against Tottenham Hotspur midweek in the Premier League—in place of Markovic.

After being frustrated throughout the first half, Liverpool quickly leveled in the second. The goal came in the 49th minute, with Allen passing to Henderson, who curled a cross to the back post for Sturridge. Showing excellent technique while holding off a defender, Sturridge volleyed through Speroni's legs for the equaliser.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Liverpool did not have to wait long for the go-ahead goal. In the 58th minute, Balotelli hit a powerful free-kick that Speroni could only parry into the path of Lallana, who finished on the rebound. 

Palace nearly drew level in the 63rd minute after Mignolet could only knock a corner into Joel Ward's way, but his shot deflected narrowly wide of the post.

From there, Liverpool began to kill off the match. Sturridge made way for substitute Rickie Lambert in the 78th minute, with defender Dejan Lovren replacing Coutinho moments later.

As the final minutes approached, the Reds were able to "take the sting out" of the match, as noted by the Daily Mirror's Ed Malyon on Twitter:

After seeing out five minutes of stoppage time, Liverpool were safe and through to the last eight.

Grades

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Julian Speroni	6.4
Martin Kelly	6.4
Scott Dann	6.9
Brede Hangeland	7.0
Pape Souare	6.8
Yannick Bolasie	6.2
Joel Ward	6.8
Joe Ledley	6.7
Dwight Gayle	7.1
Marouane Chamakh	6.3
Fraizer Campbell	7.3
Jason Puncheon (for Chamakh, 46')	6.3
Adlene Guedioura (for Kelly, 63')	6.6
Wilfried Zaha (for Bolasie, 72')	6.1

Starting XI	Rating
Substitutes	Rating
Simon Mignolet	7.4
Emre Can	7.2
Martin Skrtel	6.2
Mamadou Sakho	7.8
Lazar Markovic	6.4
Jordan Henderson	7.9
Joe Allen	7.2
Alberto Moreno	6.6
Adam Lallana	7.9
Daniel Sturridge	7.6
Philippe Coutinho	7.5
Mario Balotelli (for Markovic, 46')	6.7
Rickie Lambert (for Sturridge, 78')	6.2
Dejan Lovren (for Coutinho, 79')	6.1

Reaction

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew (via BBC Sport):

"

I'm a little disappointed that we didn't play better today. I thought Liverpool deserved to win and they had a bit more control than I would've liked.

It was too easy for them at times and we need to correct that next time we play them. They have great technical players, we chased as hard as possible but we came up against a team that we need to learn from.

"

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (BT Sport, via BBC Sport):

"

After we scored I thought we were very good. We had 15 efforts on goal in the first half but we weren't aggressive enough.

I wanted us to keep the width on the pitch, we changed it around at half-time and it worked well for us.

Daniel Sturridge is a natural goalscorer. The worry is that his team-mates are joining in with his dancing!

"

@MiguelCominguez