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LONDON -- Liverpool regained the lead in the English Premier League but the crown slipped further from its grasp as it threw away a three-goal lead in a 3-3 draw away to Crystal Palace on Monday. The stunning outcome put Liverpool a point above Manchester City, but City has a game in hand and can win its second title in three years with four points from its last two games. Liverpool was romping to a bonus big win to help its goal difference thanks to a first-half goal by Joe Allen before Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez scored in quick succession in the second to have the Reds leading 3-0 by the 55th minute. Then, Damian Delaney exposed Liverpools vulnerability to counterattacks as he scored in the 79th, launching a dramatic turnaround and deflating the Reds. They didnt recover, as Dwight Gayle cut the deficit to one two minutes later, and drew level with his second goal in the 88th. Suarez, the leagues new player of the year, was in tears on the final whistle and covered his face with his shirt as he left the pitch, with his team now highly unlikely to claim a first title in 24 years. The title race is certain to go to the last day of the season on Sunday, and Citys superior goal difference means a win and a draw from its last two games is almost certain to be enough to clinch the title. City faces Aston Villa on Wednesday, and West Ham United on Sunday, both at home. Liverpool started strongly and seemed to have put the preceding 2-0 defeat to Chelsea behind it when Allen darted to the far post to head in Steven Gerrards corner, his first league goal in over two years. Leading only 1-0 at the break, Liverpool came out fighting in the second half, forcing Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni to tip a Sturridge shot onto the post in acrobatic style, before Suarez missed an open goal on the rebound. Sturridge doubled Liverpools lead with a deflected shot on 51 minutes, and Suarez combined with Raheem Sterling to make it 3-0 with a calm low finish two minutes later. Chasing a big win to reduce Citys goal-difference advantage, Liverpool continued to pour men forward and was repeatedly caught on the counterattack as Palace scored three goals in the space of nine minutes. Delaneys 25-yard speculative shot veered in off Glen Johnsons leg into the top-right corner of the net, then Gayle scored his first, coolly finishing off a Yannick Bolasie cross. Gayle levelled in the 88th, slotting past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet when Glenn Murray controlled a long pass. Liverpool twice had strong penalty appeals turned down by referee Mark Clattenburg, first when Johnson was floored by Bolasie midway through the first half, then shortly after the break when Suarez argued furiously for a spot kick, but earned himself only a yellow card for doing so. Palaces final home game of the season saw the home crowd leave in buoyant mood following a season in which the London team was expected to battle only against relegation in its first season since returning to the Premier League. Palace can no longer overtake 10th-place Stoke City, and will secure 11th with a point away to relegated Fulham on Sunday. . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. . Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during Ramadan but can, and often do, skip it if travelling or doing hard physical labour. Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports. . Fabio Fognini pulled off a surprise 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 victory over two-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray to level the best-of-five quarterfinal at 2-2 before Andreas Seppi defeated James Ward 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the decisive match. .C. -- Clemson celebrated a senior class Saturday that brought the program back as a national contender. . - Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors will coach the Western Conference in the All-Star Game on Feb.MONTREAL - Aging junior-middleweights Delvin Rodriguez and Joachim Alcine will get to fight again another day. The pair battled to a draw over 10 clench-filled rounds on Friday night at Montreals Olympic Stadium. Judge Jack Woodburn saw things for the hometown fighter Alcine with a 96-94 scorecard while Benoit Roussel scored the action for the visiting Rodriguez, 97-93. Judge Pasquale Procopio scored things even at 95-95. "We upset the apple cart just a little bit," said trainer Buddy McGirt, who reunited with Alcine for the first time since 2009 when he guided the Haitian born fighter to a pair of victories. "Im happy with the draw, I dont think they could have called it any other way. It was close. All we had to do with this fight was keep it basic, use the jab" Rodriguez, who was coming off a three destruction at the hands of former champion Miguel Cotto, maintained he won the fight but thought that his own performance could have been better. "Coming back I was tight in there, really tight. I couldnt get my combinations going in there like I usually do. But I still believe I won the fight cleanly. He never caught me with a clean punch and was never able to hurt me." The bout often resembled exactly what was, two fighters on the back-nine of their careers, often sloppy, filled with lots of holding and ordered breaks from referee Michael Griffin. Alcine (35-7-2) was at his best when working his jab but only occasionally was he able to follow it upp with anything significant.dddddddddddd The former world champion was a long way from his glory days of 2007 where he held the WBA championship belt at 154 pounds. The Montreal fighter who now calls California home once again kept his best for the crowd of approximately 1,500 who were clearly on his side. It is the second time Alcine has been brought in as an opponent, and the second time he has surprised. In 2011 he was brought in as fodder for middleweight hopeful David Lemieux who was coming off his first career loss. Alcine shocked the Lemieux and the world with a majority decision in their 12 round bout. Instead of reviving his career, Alcine proceeded to lose his next five fights. At 38, Alcine was supposed to have been the perfect tonic for Rodriguez (28-7-4) who fallen against Cotto and in his shot at the 154-pound crown in 2012 versus Austin Trout. "We were brought in to lose," said McGirt, glad of the effort his fighter put in. "It was a frustrating fight, anytime I got close to the guy, he kept on grabbing me," said Rodriguez. "Im sure when I get back home and watch the fight, Ill see I clearly won it." Alcine predictably also thought he was on the winning side. "This was not the right decision for this fight, The guy is young," said the former champ of his 34 year-old opponent. All the eyes are on him and for them, Im old. I think for next time, there wont be any doubt, I will win by knockout. No doubt." ' ' '
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