Anyway, that’s your lot. Congratulations to Palace, commiserations to Liverpool. Who will the Eagles face at Wembley next month? Stay with us for the Oldham-United tie to find out! In the meantime, enjoy EastEnders as much as you can: Nick’s back, trying to get his dirty paws on Dot’s £10,000 bingo win, while Walford council are threatening to close the market, putting the future of Pete’s fruit-and-veg stall in jeopardy.
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Coppell also has an interesting take on Liverpool’s defensive woes. “I don’t think Liverpool are weak at set pieces. But teams know that these are the only occasions when they can be sure of getting in crosses with five or six men in the box.” Whether Kenny Dalglish agrees is another matter: “Football wise we were better than they were, but they were better organised at set pieces.” Ah well, at least they can now fully concentrate on their pursuit of an 18th league title, which continues at Charlton Athletic on Wednesday night. Expect Ronny Rosenthal to get a run-out for that one.
Steve Coppell, a study in mellow contentment, speaks! “The team with the best players doesn’t always win a semi-final. It’s a one-off. Sometimes character, determination, guts and passion are more important than skill. This may sound a horrible thing to say, but it’s true. I wasn’t too worried about being a goal down at half-time. I told the players not to panic and that there was no problem. To be honest, I thought when they went ahead at 3-2 we had blown it, and that in extra-time both sides had settled for a replay. I was panicking then, because we hadn’t re-booked our hotel for midweek! I was convinced the game would be won or lost today.”
For the record: the seven goals scored at Villa Park this lunchtime is the highest aggregate in an FA Cup semi since Manchester United and Fulham shared eight in a Highbury replay in 1958. United won that one 5-3. Could they do something similar at Maine Road later? Perhaps something’s in the air.
Meanwhile over at Maine Road ... a huge roar has taken the roof off the atmospheric old pile, as Manchester United and Oldham Athletic fans react to the result being read out. Back at Villa Park, there are rumours that the vanquished Liverpool are indulging in a spot of gallows humour, Alan Hansen leading a rendition of We’re Forever Blowing Doubles in the bath.
EXTRA TIME, FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 4-3 Liverpool
Gray releases Bright down the right. Bright takes it to the corner. Tick, tock. Eventually it’s a goal kick. Grobbelaar launches ... and there goes the whistle! Villa Park erupts ... as Steve Coppell races off down the tunnel. His players, glad all over, stay on the pitch to bask in the moment, cavorting in front of their fans at the Holte End. Palace are going to Wembley for the first FA Cup final in their 85-year history!
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ET 30 min: Palace’s fans are giving it plenty. Villa Park a cacophony of desperate whistles. A huge cheer as a Barnes cross from the left is easily snaffled by Martyn. That might be it, you know.
ET 29 min: Venison chips down the right. Houghton tries to connect, but Martyn has come to the edge of his box to claim. Palace are so close now!
ET 28 min: Pemberton is down, seeking extensive treatment in the clock-management style. You’d do it in his position too.
ET 27 min: “Can Manchester United and Oldham follow this?” John Motson wonders on BBC1. “I’m sure they’ll try their best.”
ET 26 min: What a save by Martyn! Houghton busies himself down the inside-right channel, reaching the byline, spinning and looping a cross to the far post, where Barnes rises highest. He heads powerfully downwards ... but it’s straight at the keeper. Martyn still had to cling onto it, though, and cling on he did. That was a glorious chance; it might have been Liverpool’s last.
ET 25 min: Whelan heads on down the middle in the hope of finding Barnes, but Thorn is on hand to guide the ball back to Martyn. Barnes lets his head hang a little, fearing the jig is up.
ET 24 min: Liverpool aren’t doing very much to save themselves here. A diminuendo defence of their cup.
ET 23 min: Venison sends a ridiculous effort miles over the bar from distance. Going forward, he would be wise to refer to the entry on 85 minutes for advice and instruction.
ET 22 min: Palace have decided to sit back and keep hold of what they have, a place in the final within touching distance now. These last eight minutes are likely to be attack versus defence. For Palace, they’re likely to be long. There’s nobody but Grobbelaar in the Liverpool half.
ET 20 min: Liverpool try to bounce straight back. Houghton is clipped by O’Reilly, just to the right of the D. Barnes sends a no-backlift curler towards the top left ... but there’s not enough power behind it, and that’s an easy grab for Martyn.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 4-3 Liverpool (Pardew 109)
Gray whips the corner to the near post. Thorn flicks on, beating Barnes to the header. Pardew comes tearing out of a crowded pack, fighting his way between Whelan and Hansen to power a close-range header past Grobbelaar! Palace’s dream is alive again! In years to come, Hansen may reflect that Pardew’s goal was all about pace, passion, power, desire.
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ET 19 min: But Palace suddenly spring to life. Thorn hits a long pass down the left, allowing Bright to win a corner off Hysen. That’s been earned pretty much out of nothing; fine work by Bright. And from the corner ...
ET 18 min: McMahon dances in from the left and nearly finds the top right with an exquisite curler. Had that been on target, Martyn was beaten all ends up. Right now, Liverpool look by far the more likely to find that precious winning goal.
ET 17 min: Beardsley scampers into the Palace half and slips a ball down the right for Barnes, who meanders into the box, opens his body, and flicks an insouciant shot towards the top left. It’s blocked by Shaw. The ball rebounds to Barnes, who smacks a snapshot straight at the keeper.
ET 16 min: ... Venison, rather absurdly, attempts a scissor kick from the edge of the box. Full marks for ambition, if nothing else. The ball ends up with Staunton out on the right, and he combines with Houghton to win another corner. This one is easily picked by Martyn.
An immediate turnaround, pretty much, and we’re off again! Liverpool get the ball rolling. And they’re on the front foot immediately, Barnes Cruyff-turning beautifully along the byline to the right of goal, confusing the hell out of O’Reilly. But he can’t get a shot away, swarmed by defenders, and has to settle for a corner. From which ...
EXTRA TIME, HALF TIME: Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool
Liverpool were the better side in that first period of extra time. But that’s not saying too much. A significant drop-off in quality from the mesmerising second half. Fatigue is beginning to take its toll.
ET 15 min: Barnes busies himself just inside the Palace box on the right. He spins and twists and lashes a shot from a tight angle into the side netting. A half-chance.
ET 14 min: McMahon finds Houghton, cutting in from the right, with a slide-rule chip down the channel. Houghton takes a touch and looks to have got past Thorn, who was tugging at his shoulder, but then clatters into Martyn, rushing off his line in a fit of panic. No penalty, says the referee, though you have certainly seen those given. I’m surprised Liverpool aren’t making more of that.
ET 13 min: Palace have the ball in the net! But it won’t count. Salako crosses from the left. Grobbelaar comes out to claim. He misses the ball completely as Gray and Hysen fall over, all elbows and knees. The flight path of the ball is diverted amid the mayhem. As the it bounces towards the goal, Hansen, facing his own net, tries to hook away, under pressure from Bright, but succeeds only in whipping the ball home. It won’t count as an own goal, though, because the referee is of the opinion that Hysen was fouled by Gray. Even so, that was yet another comedic masterpiece authored by the Liverpool defence. They have been nothing short of abysmal this afternoon.
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ET 12 min: O’Reilly stands on the ball and nearly lets Barnes make off with it, chortling like a cartoon character holding a bag of sweets. The ever-diligent Thomas strides across to retrieve the situation. Tiredness is becoming a factor.
ET 11 min: Liverpool work an intricate corner that eventually finds Venison offside down the wing. It’s not really taken off, this period of extra time.
ET 10 min: Barnes, just inside the penalty box, to the right of centre, back-heels to tee up Venison, who has his leg cocked back to shoot. But Barber sticks a toe in, and sends the ball squirting out to the right of goal. Corner.
ET 9 min: Thorn comes clattering into McMahon, hovering four feet off the ground and arriving approximately two days late. That is an absurd assault, albeit one launched with exquisite comic timing. And it’s not even given as a foul! The referee waves play on as Beardsley was in a half-decent position. Sure enough, the attack quickly breaks down. The referee opts not to discuss the matter with Thorn. You can take the boy out of Wimbledon, and all that.
ET 7 min: Barnes shimmies in from the right and one-twos with Houghton, before failing to set up McMahon in the middle. Another wave of attack, and Beardsley jigs down the left before chipping into the centre ... but Staunton is the only silver shirt around, and he can’t get anywhere near the ball.
ET 5 min: Liverpool are enjoying the lion’s share of possession at the minute, though they’re doing very little with it. Neither team seems willing to go for broke, and having come this far, who could blame them?
ET 4 min: All a bit scrappy, for the first time today. To be fair, there’s barely been a break in the action since noon. These lads have earned some downtime.
ET 3 min: “If Liverpool had kept John Aldridge, instead of selling him to Real Sociedad earlier in the season, they wouldn’t be playing Steve Staunton upfront now as a makeshift striker.” Preach on, Paul Kelly.
ET 2 min: Staunton barges past Pemberton down the left, then drops a shoulder to send Thorn slipping away in the wrong direction. Suddenly he’s racing clear into the box! He’s only got Martyn to beat, but the ball takes a little bobble, which may or may not put him off. He suffers a huge rush of blood to the noggin, lashing a shot miles over the bar when the goal was yawning. How Liverpool will be wishing Rush was about to plant that one home!
ET 1 min: A clever backheel from Gray nearly releases Barber through the middle, but Venison and Hysen are covering and the ball’s worked back to Grobbelaar.
Palace, who refrain from calling on fresh legs, get the first period of extra time underway. EastEnders can wait!
Can we call this an instant classic, regardless of what happens in extra time? Yeah, let’s. What a second half! Utter bedlam. Liverpool look shell-shocked as Dalglish tries to gee up his players before the extra period. Palace seem much more relaxed as a collective. They’ve got Liverpool’s number at the back. Dalglish’s side - with an average age of over 28.95, compared to Palace’s 25.22 - suddenly look very old. Anyway, we’ve got 30 minutes of extra time coming up. If we don’t get a winner, there are no World Cup style penalty shoot-outs: this is the Football Association Challenge Cup, we keep it old-school. If the score remains level after 120 minutes, we’ll all traipse back to Villa Park on Wednesday night.
FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool
And so we’re going to extra time! Andy Thorn was this close to sending Crystal Palace to Wembley in the final knockings. He should have scored, he really should have scored. Liverpool have no idea how to defend at set pieces. It’s been a good 45 minutes for Gary Gillespie.
90 min +2: Grobbelaar is illegally nudged in mid-air defending the corner. Pressure off. What a let-off for Liverpool! Have Palace thrown away their chance to get to Wembley?
90 min +1: Liverpool are asking for trouble here ... and they nearly find it! Hysen pointlessly barges into Bright, chasing a lost cause down the left. That lost cause has suddenly become a very good opportunity, right at the end of the match! Gray curls the free kick in. Liverpool’s increasingly gormless defence stand statue-still as Thorn, unmarked six yards out, crashes a header off the crossbar! Barnes heads the rebound out for a corner.
90 min: Hansen knocks Bright over once again, out on the right. Palace load the box. Barber takes, curling it towards the top left. For a second it looks as though it’s floated over everyone and fluked its way into the top corner, and all four corners of Villa Park gasp in split-second confusion. But in fact the ball only rippled the net after clearing the bar, then coming back off the advertising hoardings at the back. And it was a free kick anyway for some Palace shoving.
89 min: What heart, what moxie from Crystal Palace! Mind you, Liverpool have been a risible shambles at the back today. Perhaps concluding their only real form of defence is attack, they head off in search of a late winner. Barnes sashays in from the right and curls a low powerful shot towards the bottom right. Martyn does well to get down well and block, even better to keep hold of the ball with Beardsley lurking for a tap-in.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 3-3 Liverpool (Gray 88)
This is farcical - like Palace will care! A long ball is launched forward by Thorn. Thomas wins a header on the edge of the box. Grobbelaar punches out, but not with any real conviction. Thomas heads down and back towards goal, with Grobbelaar now out of the game, having raced to the penalty spot to make that intervention. Staunton, back on the line, blocks with his chest, but can only set the ball, volleyball style, up into the air. It hangs there for what seems like an eternity. Eventually Gray, racing in from the left, spikes a slow-motion header into the top right!
87 min: The Liverpool fans, dreaming of another final, are giving You’ll Never Walk Alone the full treatment. But they’ve gone with the big showtune a little early, and appear to have tempted fate, because ...
85 min: Shaw blooters over from distance. Wild and pointless. Time’s not on their side, it’s true, but there’s no need for anyone to panic like this quite yet.
84 min: This is shaping up to be a heartbreaker for Palace, who have been magnificent in this second half. But they’re not giving this up yet. Bright wins a corner down the right. From the set piece, there’s yet another game of pinball in the Liverpool box. Liverpool still don’t look steady at the back. But this time Barnes lashes clear, to great cheers from the Liverpool support, who sense their team is about to get away with a curate’s egg of a performance.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-3 Liverpool (Barnes 83 pen)
Barnes sidefoots confidently into the left-hand side of the goal. Martyn guessed correctly, but had no chance, Barnes sending the inside side netting billowing. Perfect placement. What a turnaround! The cup holders are almost certainly on their way to Wembley yet again!
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82 min: PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL! What drama here! It’s all falling apart for Palace in double-quick time! Liverpool, confidence restored, launch another attack pretty much from the restart. Beardsley scarpers down the left after Hysen’s long punt. He takes up possession and turns back, before flicking a sassy ball inside for Staunton, barrelling down the channel at 100mph. Staunton enters the box, and it only takes the slightest clumsy flick on the heel by Pemberton, in hot pursuit, to bowl him over. Staunton tumbles dramatically, bounces around on his head for a bit, and that’s an easy decision for the ref, who points straight at the spot! Pemberton goes in the book, more for arguing the toss than the foul itself.
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GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-2 Liverpool (McMahon 81)
Pretty much everyone congregates at the far post. Staunton shapes to cross, but instead rolls a ball down the inside-right channel for Venison, who strides past a snoozing Salako, reaches the byline, and pulls a low diagonal ball back for McMahon. Free on the left, just inside the box, McMahon opens his body up and sidefoots a pearler into the top right! What a clever training-ground routine ... and the favourites have drawn level!
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80 min: Venison hits long down the right for Beardsley, who is forced to turn tail. Houghton takes over, and upon dancing infield, is tugged back by Salako. Free kick in a dangerous position, near the right-hand corner of the Palace box.
79 min: Whelan slides Beardsley away down the left. Beardsley shuttles it on to Barnes, who wins yet another corner. Another Wasted Corner, to namecheck the fanzine.
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78 min: Barnes nearly beats O’Reilly down the inside left, but the defender sticks out a toe to concede a corner, just as Barnes was shaping to shoot. The resulting set piece comes to nothing.
77 min: Bright is bowled over by Hysen out on the right. Another free kick, another chance for Palace to cause Liverpool all sorts of bother. Gray sends it in. Thomas carelessly crashes into Venison to relieve the pressure on Liverpool. “Put Madden on for Pardew,” cries Steve Crisp. “Pardew’s useless.”
76 min: Whelan wands one in from the right. The ball falls to Burrows, carting in from the other flank. He’s surely got to score, but he takes an unnecessary touch, allowing Martyn to pull off a spectacular parry - one he never should have been allowed to make. Ah the flag’s gone up for offside anyway. But neither Burrows nor Martyn knew that at the time. Hats off to the keeper.
75 min: ... and that one’s an easy pick for Martyn. It’s beginning to feel like this isn’t going to be Liverpool’s day. Palace look of a mind to seize the moment.
74 min: Barnes dribbles into the Palace box from the left. He can’t quite beat O’Reilly. He slips and claims for a penalty, but it’s just a corner. There was some contact, just not enough. The corner leads to a second, and then a third, from which, amid a melee, Barnes drops a shoulder to make space just to the left of the six-yard box. He guides a shot past Martyn ... but not into the net, because Thomas is on point to scoop off the line! Palace hack out for another corner ...
72 min: A look of extreme concern plays across Dalglish’s face. And no wonder: just as Liverpool looked to be getting back on top, they’ve been felled by a sucker punch. An upset - possibly the biggest at the semi-final stage since second-tier Leicester City did for champions-elect Portsmouth in 1949 - is on!
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GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool (O’Reilly 70)
Hansen rather clumsily - and totally unnecessarily - shoves Bright in the back, 35 yards out on the Palace right. A free kick and a chance for Palace to load the box. Gray curls it in. Bright beats Hansen to a header, eight yards out, though not cleanly. The ball drops to his right, where O’Reilly forces a rising shot through Grobbelaar’s hands and into the top right!
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69 min: McMahon bustles and wins a free kick 30 yards from goal. He flicks left to Barnes, who strides imperiously towards the Palace box before swishing a gentle, overly mannered shot into Martyn’s arms. “I can see Liverpool reestablishing their authority,” predicts pessimistic Palace fan Dom Fifield. “They always win in the end, after all.” Yes, folks, that name rings a distant bell with me, too.
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67 min: Whelan sends a pea-roller from 25 yards into the arms of Martyn. Liverpool are finally putting a few second-half moves together, and this game could go either way. On that subject, here’s Cath Mullin: “To think the BBC has been heavily criticised for showing these games, with the outcome supposedly a certainty!”
66 min: Liverpool open Palace up for the first time since scoring. Beardsley, out on the left, takes two Palace defenders out of the game with a shoogle of the hips and a f lick inside. Barnes is sent tearing down the inside-left channel, and rolls forward for McMahon, who is clear! But McMahon takes a heavy touch, allowing Martyn to spring out and smother on the edge of the box. What fine, proactive goalkeeping, though he should never have been given the chance to save. That’s a huge opportunity squandered by McMahon.
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64 min: A little bit of space in Palace territory for Hysen, of all people. But Hysen’s no Hansen, never mind a Beckenbauer, and while considering a shot from distance, falls over instead in a slapstick heap.
62 min: Palace go straight up the other end and nearly take the lead! Gray gets the better of Staunton in the centre circle. Thomas takes over and slides a glorious first-time pass out to Bright on the right. Bright romps down the wing and whips in low. Thomas, arriving late, tries to flick into the bottom left, but slap-shots the ball straight at Grobbelaar, who nevertheless reacted well to make the block on his line.
61 min: So having said all that, Liverpool finally click. It’s been about time. Barnes one-twos with McMahon down the inside left and races into the box. His cross is meant for Houghton, who can’t get a header away from eight yards. The ball drops to Beardsley, who swivels on the penalty spot and whips a shot towards the right-hand side of goal. It’s blocked by Shaw, and that looked like it hit the defender’s right arm. But there was so little space between the two players, a penalty was never going to be awarded. Better from Liverpool, though, who have been second best since the restart.
60 min: Liverpool are rattled. Venison, under no pressure whatsoever, attempts to hoof the ball upfield but nearly takes a wild fresh-air shot, instead slicing hectically, comically out of play. Palace have them on the ropes here, although the final ball is letting them down. They’re superior in every department right now, a complete switcheroo from Ray Wilkins’ half-time hot take.
59 min: Venison takes a heavy touch out on the Liverpool right and allows Barber to rob him, check inside, and cross to the other flank. Gray, competing with Burrows just inside the box, goes down under the high ball. A wee shove in the back there? You’ve seen them given, though to be fair Gray doesn’t complain too much when he picks himself up. Liverpool were all over the place again, though, with Bright left alone in the centre for a few careless seconds. Fortunately for Liverpool, Barber didn’t spot him at all.
58 min: Whelan slips a pass down the inside-right channel for Beardsley, who has been extremely quiet today. He tries to turn Shaw this way and that, but the Palace defender isn’t falling for any of his tricks and manages to guide the ball back to Martyn.
57 min: Liverpool have done absolutely nothing in attack since Rush departed. Barnes drops deep in an effort to kick-start things, but his long pass down the inside-left channel is to nobody at all, and it’s an easy pick-up for Martyn.
55 min: Liverpool only half-clear the resulting throw. Thomas, out on the right near the halfway line, strokes the ball downfield. Bright beats Liverpool’s tattered offside trap and he’s in acres of space on the wing. But he can’t stop the ball from bouncing out for a goal kick. Calmer control and he’d have been one on one with Grobbelaar.
54 min: Bright flits down the right and gets the better of Hansen, who is suddenly looking a little uneasy, a pale shadow of his first-half self. Bright turns and passes back to Pemberton, who arrives on the scene and nearly powers his way through a small gap and into the box again. Hysen lumps out of play in a panic.
53 min: McMahon showcases his more artistic side, teeing up Houghton down the inside-right channel. Houghton runs onto the pass and attempts a first-time screamer from 25 yards. Swish! Hysterical slice! Nope!
52 min: And suddenly, this is in danger of over-heating. McMahon slides in recklessly late and studs up on Barber. The referee must have forgotten his pencil today, because nobody’s going in the notebook, it’s nothing more than a free kick. McMahon is a lucky boy, you’ve seen folk walk for less.
51 min: In the wake of Liverpool hacking untidily clear, a contretemps erupts out of thin air. Off the ball, Gray and McMahon explore diametrically opposed philosophical theories. Staunton enters the debate, offering a third angle. Finally the referee joins the round table, telling Gray to pipe down before summoning Palace captain Thomas for a quick lecture. The pressure of FA Cup semi-final football, right there, hair-trigger tempers betraying nervous energy.
50 min: From the resulting free kick, a game of head tennis breaks out on the edge of the Liverpool box. Gray nearly tees up Pardew, just to the right of goal. Not quite. For a split second there, Liverpool looked wide open and vulnerable. A cloud of great uncertainty suddenly looms over them.
49 min: Villa Park is really bouncing now. That special kind of carefree, borderline surreal loudness that only crackles and booms at the business end of the FA Cup. Liverpool try to regain a semblance of control by pinging a few passes around. Barber then tries to skitter down the left but is unceremoniously checked by Venison, who is fortunate not to go into the book.
48 min: Kudos to Matt Evans, who clearly knows his onions. Hopefully he got to see his plan come together, though there’s a fair chance he’s been put down for his nap.
47 min: On the bench, Kenny Dalglish looks utterly stunned. Mouth open, completely motionless, the full thousand-yard stare. He can’t quite believe what he’s just witnessed. Can anyone? His team, still rubbing half-time sleepy dust from their eyes, were caught as cold as yesterday’s mashed potatoes. A fine contrast, Pemberton was full throttle from the get-go, and Palace cavort near the corner flag accordingly, half of the Holte End rippling with uninhibited glee!
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Liverpool (Bright 46)
... this is astonishing!!! Pemberton drives down the right, then knocks the ball into the space ahead, between Burrows and Whelan, challenging them to a foot race. He wins it easily, and at full pace curls towards Barber at the far post. Venison manages to half clear with a backwards header, but the ball drops to Salako on the left-hand edge of the box. Salako creams a low volley goalward. Grobbelaar reacts well, kicking away, but he’s a hostage to fortune, and the ball loops towards Bright, ten yards out, level with the right-hand post. He lashes a left-footed volley into the centre of goal. McMahon tries to head clear, but such is the power of Bright’s shot, he can only eyebrow the ball into the top right! That was an absurd high-speed game of pinball. Palace have unlocked a new feature, a mere seventeen seconds after the restart!
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Liverpool get the second half underway. And within four seconds of kick off, they gift the ball to the opposition, McMahon passing to nobody in particular out on the left. Pemberton intercepts and ...
The teams come back out for the second half. Liverpool have made another change, replacing Gary Gillespie with the leonine Barry Venison. Gillespie has a groin strain, we hear. That’s both of their subs used now. Strains of The Liquidator dribble out of the Villa Park speakers. Clap-clap-clap-clap. Ian Rush, already hosed and now smelling of talc and sweet cologne, emerges from the tunnel and takes to the bench looking extremely dapper in a grey shoulder-padded suit. What Liverpool would give to have him still on the field. No changes for Palace, who have a look of collective determination about them. “As a two-year-old Palace fan, I hope we can start the second half brightly,” writes Matt Evans, one of the most advanced and tactically astute toddlers the Guardian has received correspondence from in several years. “We’ve got to push the full backs on, otherwise I can only see one result.”
The BBC’s Gerald Sinstadt has a half-time pow-wow with the last manager to lead Palace to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, their 1976 hero Malcolm Allison. “I think Palace are playing with a lot of determination, and look physically stronger than Liverpool. Technically Liverpool are better than them. The biggest problem they’ve got is Hansen. Bright must come across to stop Hansen playing balls out from the back, he’s causing quite a few problems. Liverpool have only had one chance, the one they scored. Bright is causing a lot of problems but he needs some assistance. They’ve got to gamble and push up a bit more. I think they will gamble. I’d sooner be back on the bench, but I’m enjoying it very much!” Ray Wilkins, back in the BBC studio with anchor Bob Wilson, doesn’t agree with Allison’s comment on Palace’s physical superiority: “I think Liverpool have been superior in every department.”
HALF TIME: Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool
The scoreline is pretty much as we expected ... but Palace have contributed to an enjoyable, open game. They’ll take heart from their performance, especially during the last 15 minutes of that half. Paul Griffin would rather concentrate on the first 30: “Clear as day that Liverpool are totally outclassing Palace here, as they have done everyone else. I predict another 30 years of domestic hegemony at least.”
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45 min: Salako skates down the left but once again his cross isn’t all that. He’s found some good positions, but his delivery has been dismal so far. “I’ve been so busy, what with being in Year 3, I forgot this game was happening today,” writes the scatterbrained Matt Dony. “Such a shame to see Rush leave the field. What a player. Certainly the best player I’ve seen in a Welsh shirt in my (admittedly short) lifetime. I can’t imagine we’ll be lucky enough to see any more gifted individuals any time soon.”
44 min: McMahon starts a Liverpool counter by spraying a long ball down the left for Barnes. There’s nobody for Barnes to pass to, so he waits, and waits, and waits, until Beardsley scuttles down the left to show. Beardsley receives the pass, turns and looks for an opportunity to shoot. But Palace have kept the door closed. The ball’s worked back to McMahon, who flays an overly ambitious shot into the crowd behind the goal from 30 yards. Martyn’s palms remain untroubled and cool.
42 min: Gillespie meanders in from the right and plays a cute reverse pass down the channel for Staunton, who has hared across from the other flank. Staunton is clear in the box, and forces the ball past the out-rushing Martyn, rounding the keeper. But just as he prepares to roll into the empty net, the flag goes up for offside. That might have been a foul on the keeper anyway. Staunton and Thorn - a member of the victorious 1988 Wimbledon team, and something of, what’s the word, a bramble (?) in Liverpool’s side - have a full and frank exchange of perspectives before play restarts.
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41 min: Bright makes a terrible nuisance of himself down the right, and forces a rare mistake out of the usually unflappable Hansen, whose attempted backpass to Grobbelaar flies straight out for a corner. Grobbelaar is fuming. With great I’ll-sort-this determination, he plucks Thomas’s corner out of the sky under surveillance from O’Reilly. Everyone was barged out of the way there. A none-shall-pass attitude.
39 min: Gillespie wheels down the right and wins a corner. Houghton takes, but Barnes isn’t able to connect in the box and Palace clear without too much drama. Liverpool come back at Palace, Staunton deciding to have a crack from 25 yards. It’s blocked at source. Martyn still hasn’t had much on his plate.
38 min: Pardew drives down the middle in the hope of launching another Palace attack. He can’t quite force the ball through to Bright, and the move fizzles out. Apologies to Sam Smedley, but Pards has looked lively on a couple of occasions when driving at the Liverpool back line. He’s getting them on the back foot, albeit without tangible success as of yet.
36 min: Pemberton sashays past Staunton with great ease, the Liverpool sub not yet up to speed. Hysen puts a stop to his gallop eventually, but Palace come again, Gray working to earn a corner out on the left. Gray floats it in. Easy for Gillespie, who combines with Hysen to clear at the near post. Palace come straight back at Liverpool through Barber, who can’t quite force his way through the middle. This is so much better from Palace.
34 min: Liverpool have dominated possession. But the thing is, other than scoring, and that flurry of early chances from left-wing crosses, they haven’t particularly tested Palace. Certainly Martyn hasn’t had too much work to do. Coppell will be happy with the way his men have responded to falling behind.
33 min: Burrows blocks Gray on the right. In doing so, he hurts himself in his trouser arrangement. He’s soon up and about again. Still no booking. He must be testing the referee’s patience, surely. The resulting Palace free kick is a complete waste of time.
32 min: A McMahon dummy nearly releases Beardsley down the right, but Shaw is live to the danger. Palace counter, Barber hoicking long for Bright. A little too long; Grobbelaar comes out to the edge of his box to claim.
31 min: And they’ll be further encouraged by this breaking news: Rush can’t continue. Staunton comes on in his stead. That’s a huge blow for Liverpool. Staunton has gone out to the left wing, taking the place of Barnes, who moves up front with Beardsley. Rushie departs, holding his ribs.
29 min: Barber makes good down the left and slings a cross towards the opposite flank for Bright, who is out-jumped by Burrows. The ball sails back to Grobbelaar. Palace will definitely be encouraged by the last few minutes.
28 min: Bright gets the better of Hansen in a foot race down the right, and whips a low ball towards the near post. Hysen should deal with it, but dozes and dallies, and nearly lets Barber nip in. Hysen recovers just in time, poking out for a corner. Thomas takes, but Grobbelaar punches confidently clear, under no little pressure from O’Reilly. That’s again promising for Palace, though. Liverpool don’t look at all convincing at the back; 1979, and that Neal-Hansen-Thompson-Kennedy back line, seems an awfully long time ago.
27 min: Burrows barrels down the left at great speed once more. For a second, it looks as though he’ll power into the box, but Gray holds his line and eventually toe-pokes the ball away from his opponent’s boot. Gray turns and launches a counter, only to be felled by a fairly agricultural lunge from Burrows, tracking back. Burrows gets a ticking off from the referee, and is pretty fortunate not to go in the book.
26 min: Barber makes his way down the left but can only send his cross deep into the crowd behind the goal. It could be a quiet afternoon for Grobbelaar, who hasn’t had a save to make yet.
25 min: This may give them succour, too. The relentless Rush is down, having taken a whack to the ribcage in an accidental collision with O’Reilly. Physio Roy Evans comes on with his adidas carry-all, packed to the brim with medical bumf.
24 min: Bright makes good down the left. Pardew and Barber wait in the centre, but no cross is forthcoming. Palace have been under the cosh for the most part, but there’s yet another attack which suggests they’re not completely without hope.
23 min: Beardsley and Shaw chase a long pass down the inside right. Martyn comes out to claim and clatters into Shaw, who takes one in his startled fizzog. Friendly fire. He’s fine to continue after a dab down with the magic sponge.
22 min: Thomas applies pressure to Gillespie down the left. He nearly forces a corner, but it’s just a throw. A chance to fling a long throw into the box. Palace load the area accordingly. Salako takes ... short. Pulitzer, please! The ball’s hoicked back to him; his subsequent cross is headed convincingly clear by Hysen. Liverpool attempt to break with pace. Pemberton cynically climbs all over Beardsley, and that’s a blatant free kick. McMahon takes it super-quickly, feeding Rush who then slips the ball to Barnes, just inside the Palace half on the left. It’s two on one, O’Reilly the only man back, McMahon in acres to the right of Barnes! But before Barnes can set his team-mate free, the whistle blows. Palace are extremely relieved to hear it. Turns out the ball was rolling when McMahon took the quickie.
20 min: Liverpool ping the ball around in graceful fashion. Barnes nearly carves out an opening down the left, but he out-dribbles himself and falls over. Palace have been chasing shadows for the most part during this opening quarter. “A comfortable afternoon in store for Liverpool if the early signs are anything to go by,” observes Simon McMahon. “Should be the same for Dundee United next week in their Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen. It’s about time we won the Cup after four final defeats in the Eighties. And I fancy Scotland to do something in Italy too. Shaping up to be quite the year.” Yes, good old 1990, you’ve captured the zeitgeist perfectly. Nice one, top, sorted, bangin’.
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19 min: Pardew drives down the inside-right channel and attempts a one-two with Bright. He looks to have been cynically blocked by three silver shirts, but the referee sees nothing wrong with the challenges and the danger is snuffed out. Pardew had the right to complain more than he did.
18 min: Beardsley skedaddles down the left and nearly gets the better of Shaw, but the Palace defender stands firm and eventually wins a free kick, pestered beyond legality by his ever-busy opponent.
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16 min: That’s Rush’s 32nd FA Cup goal, and on the balance of play it had been coming. Rush isn’t quite up to Denis Law standards in this competition: the Scot racked up 41 during an illustrious career, with another six being chalked off as the result of an abandonment. On the other hand, Rush has been the deciding factor in two finals (1986 and 1989) as opposed to Law’s one (1963) so it’s swings and roundabouts. And there’s still plenty of time for Rushie to score a few more, of course.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool (Rush 14)
McMahon reads a Thomas flick in the centre circle to intercept. He drives forward. Thorn and O’Reilly push up but are miles apart, O’Reilly significantly deeper. Rush drifts between them, played onside by O’Reilly, and makes a trademark curved run to the left. McMahon slide-rules the ball down the channel. Without touching the pass, Rush enters the box and draws Martyn, before clipping a left-footed shot past the keeper from a tight-ish angle and into the unguarded net!
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13 min: Hansen slips a ball down the left for Barnes, who twists Pemberton’s blood before sending a cross into the mixer. Thorn tidies up with Houghton and Rush lurking. Palace are being pinned back a little here.
12 min: Another sortie launched by Hansen, who is master of the midfield right now. Palace are giving the Liverpool captain a lot of space. Far too much, really. He sails down the middle and reaches the edge of the D, whereupon temptation gets the better of him. He tries to whistle one into the top-right corner, but only succeeds in finding the top-right corner of the Holte End. Mind that scoreboard, will you.
10 min: Bright bustles down the right, the ball breaking to Pemberton on the overlap. Pemberton’s cross is over-excitable, but take the positives, that’s another decent Palace attack. They’ve been all over the shop at the back, but they’ve shown enough in attack to suggest Liverpool might not have it all their own way.
9 min: Houghton cuts in from the right and lays off to Beardsley, who chips cutely down the channel in the hope of releasing Gillespie. But the overlapping full back has gone too early, and the flag goes up for offside. Neat move, though.
8 min: Hansen Beckenbauers his way down the inside-left channel. Effortless elegance in motion, like a swan only with less hectic legs. Palace are offering no resistance whatsoever down this flank. Hansen’s cross isn’t all that, a floater that’s snaffled without too much fuss by Martyn. Ah well, nobody’s perfect.
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6 min: Some promise for Palace, as Salako quarterbacks from deep, clipping a pass down the left for Barber, who is unceremoniously blocked by Houghton. A free kick, and a chance for Palace to load the box. Thorn and O’Reilly come up. Gray takes, and swings one into the area, shades of Dennis Wise for Wimbledon in the 1988 final. But there’s too much height on the cross for Bright to become the Lawrie Sanchez de nos jours, and Brucie ushers it out for a goal kick.
5 min: Liverpool are getting an awful lot of joy down the left. McMahon and Barnes combine, the latter crossing deep for Houghton, who once again can’t sort his feet out. In a parallel universe somewhere, Houghton has bagged a brace already. Meanwhile here’s Vic Rushton: “I’m eight years old and watching at home. Supporting Palace as the underdog and really like their colourful kit. My dad has just rashly promised that we’d go to the semi final if we (Middlesbrough) ever got there, safe in the knowledge it has never happened nor likely to.”
4 min: Burrows blusters his way into more space down the left. A low diagonal ball nearly finds Rush at the far post, but there’s a little bit too much pace on the cross. Goal kick.
3 min: Pemberton blooters long. It’s a witless gambit, even by Charles Reep standards, and easy pickings for Grobbelaar.
2 min: It looks as though Salako will play out on the Palace left, with Barber pushed further forward. Burrows bombs down the Liverpool left and loops long. Houghton, cutting in from the other flank, attempts a spectacular scissor kick, but doesn’t connect. “As a Palace fan I don’t think we have a hope today,” sighs Sam Smedley. “No Ian Wright and Alan bloody Pardew starting.”
And we’re off! Palace get the ball rolling. Thomas knocks it long down the right, allowing Burrows to tap back to Grobbelaar. Gillespie goes on a baroque ramble down the right and nearly makes it into the box, but Thorn ushers him away. A nice open feel to this already, and barely 60 seconds have elapsed.
The teams are out! A wonderful atmosphere at Villa Park. It’s sunny. King Kenny wears his puffa-puffa jacket anyway. I wonder if Peter Beardsley is eyeing it up? The captains Geoff Thomas - the cover star of the official matchday programme (£1) - and Alan Hansen shake hands. Then they pose for a photo with the officials and mascots. We’ll be off in a minute!
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Some supporters have been delayed on the motorway en route to Villa Park, so there are a few empty seats dotted about, but we’re expecting a crowd of 39,000. Liverpool have 23,000 fans, and they fill the North Stand. The famous Holte End is split down the middle, housing both Palace and Liverpool supporters. Palace only sold 16,000 of the 18,000 tickets allocated to them by the FA, but they kept the sale members-only, which explains that ostensibly disappointing figure. The most important news: all fans are thankfully safe and well in the stands. Thoughts will inevitably turn to last year’s semi-final and the dreadful tragedy at Hillsborough. It’s a subject way beyond the remit of this simple MBM, though our hearts go out to the fallen and everyone affected: You’ll Never Walk Alone.
No word from Kenny Dalglish, who famously doesn’t enjoy talking to the media. And who can blame him? Even journalists don’t like journalists. In lieu of pre-match Liverpool chat, here’s PJ Connolly: “My prediction: 7-0. I’ve just been leafing through my official 1990 Liverpool Annual and the double-page spread on the 9-0 is evidence of how this one is going to go. You may think this hubristic for an eight year old for whom this is his first full season as a Liverpool supporter, but I am expecting this to be, as the French might say when we see the inevitable breakthrough in the Channel Tunnel later this year, ‘une piece of [word redacted by Family Newspaper Editor, and while we’re on the subject, where did you learn language like that, young man?]’.”
A word with Steve Coppell, who initially comes across as a raging defeatist but is in fact sending a defiant salvo across the Liverpool bows. “Of course we shouldn’t have a chance. Deep down, I’m sure the players know they are likely to be beaten, too. But I’m equally sure this will make them play even harder to win!”
Palace won the toss to be regarded as the home team here at Villa Park. That means they’ll be playing in their first-choice red-and-blue stripes. Fly Virgin to LA! Liverpool are forced into second-choice sweet-wrapper silver. Can the Candy men? The Candy men can!
No Ian Wright for Palace, as we’ve already touched upon. Garry Thompson, bought from Watford as his stand-in, is cup-tied, so John Salako may be detailed to assist Mark Bright up front.
Peter Beardsley returns to the Liverpool XI, having recovered from a knee injury. Steve Nicol failed a late fitness test and misses out.
The teams
Crystal Palace: Nigel Martyn, John Pemberton, Richard Shaw, Andy Gray, Gary O’Reilly, Andy Thorn, Phil Barber, Geoff Thomas, Mark Bright, John Salako, Alan Pardew.
Subs: David Madden, Rudi Hedman.
Liverpool: Bruce Grobbelaar, Glenn Hysen, David Burrows, Gary Gillespie, Ronnie Whelan, Alan Hansen, Peter Beardsley, Ray Houghton, Ian Rush, John Barnes, Steve McMahon.
Subs: Barry Venison, Steve Staunton.
Referee: George Courtney (Spennymoor, County Durham).
Preamble
It’d be fair to say Crystal Palace could do without crossing Liverpool’s path again this season. There’s no need to bring up that 0-9 collapse at Anfield last September again; the insipid 0-2 defeat at Selhurst Park this January, in which star scorer Ian Wright suffered a hairline fracture of the shin, was miserable enough. Suffice to say, if Steve Coppell had the chance to handpick Palace’s opponents for this FA Cup semi-final, it wouldn’t be Kenny Dalglish’s champions-elect.
Liverpool went top of the First Division table last weekend. Back-to-back wins over Southampton and Wimbledon have put them three points clear of Aston Villa with a game in hand, and so an 11th championship in 18 years now looks very much on the cards. They’re favourites to retain their FA Cup, too, hoping to become the first club in the entire history of English football to win the Double twice. They’ve not been at their sparkling best this season, but it doesn’t really matter: so far, their second-gear stylings have proved more than good enough.
Palace by contrast aren’t totally free of relegation worries yet. They’re in 15th spot - one ahead of Alex Ferguson’s misfiring Manchester United - and are still without their stricken talisman Wright. But after the Anfield annihilation, they bolstered their defence with dependable keeper Nigel Martyn and experienced centre-half Andy Thorn. And their recent form has been more than decent: six wins from the last ten in all competitions, a run including victory at Spurs and a win over title hopefuls Villa. Their cup run hasn’t been as spectacular as fellow surprise semi-finalists Oldham Athletic - Portsmouth, Huddersfield, Rochdale, Cambridge United - but you can only beat what’s put in front of you. And it’s generated some much-needed confidence, and a little bit of momentum, during difficult times.
Even so, few expect Palace to set off a seismic shock this lunchtime. They’ll just be hoping not to suffer another gubbing, especially as this game is being transmitted live on BBC1 as part of an epochal double-header with the United-Oldham tie, the two games sandwiching the EastEnders omnibus. So will Liverpool reach their fourth FA Cup final in five seasons? Or can Palace upset odds that are very much stacked against them? We’ll find out before our visit to Albert Square. It’s the first part of the BBC’s all-new super Sunday! It’s the greatest cup competition in the world! It’s on!
Kick off: 12 midday.
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