300th for Rush
from "Press Association"
The last time these two clubs met at Anfield Liverpool ran up a rather convincing 9-0 scoreline.
There was no question of a repeat result given the vast improvement that Palace have enjoyed since that humiliating night. Palace were without five first team players and so elected to play with Eddie McGoldrick as sweeper with five midfielders.
The tactical changes used by Eagles boss Steve Coppell did stifle the home team as they were not allowed a great deal of time on the ball.
While the match charted the rapid change in fortune for the Anfield club, it was also notable for the historic occasion of Ian Rush netting his 300th competitive goal in 532 games for Chester, Juventus and Liverpool.
Four minutes before the break the 29-year-old Welshman darted inside and twice linked up with Peter Beardsley before receiving the final pass and shooting with his right foot past Nigel Martyn's outstretched left hand.
It was a typical opportunist strike from Rush.
Liverpool killed the game as a contest in the second half in the 55th minute and this time the Eagles defence was sleeping when John Barnes headed in Steve Nicol's cross. Three minutes from the end Nicol drove the ball forward and McGoldrick touched it on, but past his own keeper with Ray Houghton harrying him.
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