Brendan Rodgers said his Liverpool team had conceded the Premier League title this morning and lamented his side's defensive failings in a "crazy spell" in which they squandered a 3-0 lead at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool conceded three times in ten minutes to draw 3-3 with Crystal Palace, a result that means Manchester City realistically need just four points from their remaining two games to clinch a second Premier League title in three years. They play Aston Villa on Wednesday and West Ham at home on the final day of the season; when Liverpool are at home to Newcastle United.
At 3-0 up, with goals from Joe Allen, Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, Liverpool appeared to try to make inroads into the nine-goal advantage that City hold over them in the goal difference column. Committing players to attack, they were dangerously open at the back and Palace exploited that.
Rodgers said: "We needed to win tonight. Man City have two home games and we needed to win tonight to keep the pressure on. I think City will go on and win their two games now. They will be champions. But for us it's been an outstanding achievement until now. We'll keep looking to build.
"It's hugely disappointing. For 78 minutes we were outstanding, did everything we'd wanted to do, looked solid defensively and didn't have many scares. We had control of the ball and had three goals. But we got carried away, thought we could have more, and lost our defensive structure. To have conceded three was disappointing given the work we'd put in to go 3-0 up.