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. Craig Hartsburg Stars Jersey . -- Arkansas didnt need a spectacular dunk to beat No. Mike Modano Stars Jersey . Its the second straight year he has decided not to play as he cuts back his schedule. Stricker was replaced in the field by Ryo Ishikawa of Japan. http://www.thedallasstarshockey.com/jaso...-hockey-jersey/. The ninth-seeded Safarova doused Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-3 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. The Czech player was a finalist here two years ago and captured back-to-back doubles titles in 2012 and last year. Jon Casey Stars Jersey . 1 Pete Sampras. Speaking ahead of an exhibition match against Andre Agassi in London on March 3, Sampras said on a conference call Wednesday that he is impressed by Federers longevity. Jason Dickinson Jersey . PAUL, Minn. DENVER -- Todd Helton received a horse, hit a homer and got a hug from his two daughters as they ran out onto the field in the ninth inning. Yep, this was definitely more than the Colorado Rockies first baseman couldve asked for in his final game at Coors Field. About the only thing that didnt go Heltons way was the score as the Boston Red Sox routed the Rockies 15-5 on Wednesday night. This was certainly his evening as he homered in his first at-bat after stirring pregame tribute to him, doubled later in the game and drove in three runs. "I hoped I would go out and play well," said Helton, whos retiring after 17 years with the Rockies. "But there was so much going on before the game. My expectations werent that high. ... To be able to go out and play and be productive, that means a lot to me." For a night, he was vintage Helton again, the one with power (solo shot to right), the ability to go the opposite way (a double off the wall in left) and knack for taking what the pitchers gives him (lifting a fly to left to bring home a run). "Sometimes games pretty much sum up careers," Helton said. He chuckled. "Early in my career, that wouldve been a homer to left, instead of a double," the 40-year-old Helton said. "I hit that ball pretty good. But it was a lot of fun. It really was." The highlight was when his daughters, Tierney and Gentry Grace, ran out to kiss and hug him at first base. That was a complete surprise. So was the horse, a going away present from the Rockies. "I might have to learn to ride a little bit better," said Helton, who has a ranch up the road from the ball park. Will Middlebrooks had quite a game, hitting two homers and driving in a career-high seven RBIs. He hit his third career grand slam and a three-run homer as the Red Sox moved two games ahead of Oakland for the best record in the league and home-field advantage throughout the post-season. David Ortiz hit a two-run double to reach 100 RBIs this season. Jacoby Ellsbury didnt take long to energize the Red Sox lineup as he returned after missing 16 games with a fractured right foot -- he singled, walked and scored twice before being replaced in the fourth. Jake Peavy (12-5) settled down after a shaky start to earn his first win since Aug. 31. He allowed five runs and gave up eight hits in six innings. The Rockies staged quite a pregame show to honour Helton, complete with highlights of his playing days on the video screen.dddddddddddd The team also mowed his number (17) into the outfield grass, along with painting a purple and white "17" along both base lines. Heltons daughter, Tierney, threw out the first pitch as his wife, younger daughter and good friend Peyton Manning watched from the side. Once the game started, Helton began his own show, hitting a fastball from Peavy into the right-field seats in the second. "I think Peavy just did me a favour," Helton said. "Hes a good dude." Not that generous, though. After the game, Helton and his teammates made their way around the field to say farewell to the fans. Several of the Red Sox players lingered on the field, just so they could say so long to Helton. "I just wanted him to know how much I appreciated the way he went about things," Peavy said. "Me and Todd have had many, many matchups like we had tonight, and Im not going to miss him in retirement on the baseball field. "To be the leader he has been and was to these guys, just the class he always competed with, the respect he always showed and always voiced -- I wanted to show that I appreciated that." Throughout the game, former teammates and coaches appeared on the video board to talk about Helton, who holds virtually every offensive record in team history. Cleveland slugger Jason Giambi boasted about him, so did Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle, who was in charge of the Rockies when they went to the 2007 World Series and were swept by Boston. Even Manning weighed in on Heltons career. "Thanks for retiring and making me the oldest Denver athlete," said the Broncos star quarterback, who was teammates with Helton on the football team at the University of Tennessee. Helton received plenty of ovations over the course of the night. None as boisterous as when he hit the homer. After crossing home plate, Helton tipped his cap to the crowd before going into the dugout. The roar of the fans brought him back out for another bow. "Certain players have a flair for the dramatic and seemingly that was one tonight," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. NOTES: Red Sox C Jarrod Saltalamacchia had four hits and drove in three runs. ... The Rockies handed out 35,000 Helton bobblehead dolls. ... Rockies C Yorvit Torrealba left the game in the sixth with a bruised right thumb. ... Jhoulys Chacin (14-10) was chased early, surrendering seven runs and nine hits in four innings. ' ' '