Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard [via Liverpool FC]

Liverpool had their title aspiration dealt a brutal blow after throwing a 3-0 lead away at Crystal Palace to draw 3-3 in a thrilling Premier League encounter this evening.

Welsh midfielder Joe Allen had put the Reds ahead in the first half with his first goal in two years while further goals from Daniel Sturridge and Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year Luis Suarez had Liverpool seemingly on their way to an easy win.

Damien Delaney however pulled one back for Crystal Palace with 12 minutes to go, instigating a remarkable comeback by the home side which was completed through a three-minute brace from Dwight Gayle in the last five minutes of the match.

And while the result returns Liverpool to the top of the Premier League with 81 points from 37 matches, it benefits second placed Manchester City much more as City have 80 points and a game in hand – which will be played on Wednesday night at home to Aston Villla.

On the individual front, Suarez’s goal increased his league tally to 31 goals, which makes him only the third player after Alan Shearer and Cristiano Ronaldo to score 31 goals in a 38-game Premier League season.

It also puts him level with Ronaldo in the race for this season’s European Golden Boot award and, alongside strike partner Sturridge, became a half of the highest scoring duo in Premier League history with 52 goals so far, surpassing Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard who both scored 51 goals for Chelsea in a season.