Alan Pardew was left to ponder what might have been had Dwight Gayle doubled Crystal Palace’s first half advantage in tonight’s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool.

The Eagles were in front after just quarter of an hour when Simon Mignolet could only punch out Gayle’s header straight into the path of Fraizer Campbell, who slotted home the rebound.

Mignolet’s quick thinking denied Gayle before the break and the visitors were back on terms within five minutes of the restart thanks to Daniel Sturridge meeting Jordan Henderson’s delivery and firing past Julian Speroni.

Liverpool took the lead eight minutes later as substitute Mario Balotelli’s free-kick was spilled by Speroni and Adam Lallana followed up with the simplest of finishes.

That goal ended the Eagles’ cup campaign for another year, although Pardew felt it could have been a different story had Gayle taken the big chance which fell his way at 1-0.

He said: “That turned out to be a pivotal moment.

“Dwight in those situations is usually very, very efficient.

“I was actually surprised he missed if I’m honest, or the goalie saved it even, because he is very clinical in those areas.

“We would have been very difficult to beat if we’d got a second goal because this team does defend well.

“We have a good shot stopping goalie but it didn’t go in and of course then the game is different.”

Despite making the perfect start through Campbell’s early opener, the Selhurst chief admitted it might have counted against his side in the end.

Pardew explained: “I thought we started well today, scored a goal that we kind of hoped would happen – a ball over the back of their back three – and that kind of hampered us ironically, the goal.

“We got a little bit too deep. We are so honest and integral in the way that we work.

“Sometimes the boys are desperate to get the team up the pitch, but Liverpool couldn’t get a goal, although they had plenty of possession.

“I didn’t think that we were going to survive the second half like that though so ironically I thought the change Brendan Rodgers made (Balotelli for Lazar Markovic) I thought helped us.

“I thought if we’d engaged the two strikers a little bit more aggressively it would have worked in our favour.

“They scored a great goal, you have to say that.

“It was a great ball from Henderson, it was inch-perfect and a good finish and the game was up for grabs.”

Pardew was also left to bemoan the manner of Liverpool’s winner, which came from a dead ball situation.

The SE25 manager added: “I felt it was strange that then they win the game from a set play, which was something we felt we could probably have done tonight – and we should have done better on that.

“It is something we are going to need to look at because the two guys who were obviously going to run out of the way was an area we should have done better at.

“Then after that we pushed and tried and showed some great honesty in our work.

“Liverpool were technically good then when they got the second goal.

“They made us work and they are good at that. They made things difficult for us, we huffed and puffed, looked for a twist but we couldn’t find one.”

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt