Liverpool Stunned by Crystal Palace's Dramatic Last-Second Winner in Heartbreaking 2-1 Loss
Liverpool suffered a well-deserved defeat against Crystal Palace in Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, as Eddie Nketiah's dramatic 95th-minute strike secured a 2-1 victory for the hosts over the reigning champions.
Federico Chiesa appeared to have rescued a crucial late point for Liverpool with his 87th-minute equalizer that neutralized Ismaïla Sarr's early opener, but the ex-Arsenal forward Nketiah delivered the decisive blow, steering Palace to a merited triumph in added time.
The Reds had taken the lead in each of their seven previous matches this campaign but found themselves behind after merely nine minutes at Selhurst Park. Their longtime nemesis Sarr netted his fifth strike against Liverpool upon his return to the starting lineup, capitalizing on Ryan Gravenberch's wayward header to fire home from point-blank range following a corner kick.
Arne Slot was understandably incensed by the corner decision, as the ball had deflected off a Palace defender before crossing the line, and received a yellow card for his vocal objections. The Dutch manager breathed a massive sigh of relief moments afterward when Alisson made a spectacular stop to prevent Yéremy Pino from scoring his maiden goal for the Eagles.
Gravenberch struck the woodwork as Liverpool pursued an equalizer, but Palace maintained their aggressive approach against their visitors during a frenetic opening period in London. Alisson delivered two additional brilliant saves before the half-hour mark, thwarting Daniel Muñoz and Jean-Philippe Mateta with instinctive reactions. The visitors were incredibly lucky to trail by just one goal after the early onslaught.
Liverpool seemed to have survived Palace's initial pressure but again relied on fortune during first-half injury time. Another golden chance slipped away for the home side as Mateta's sublime long-range attempt struck the inside of the upright and traveled across the goal mouth.
The Merseysiders displayed better form following the interval, particularly in attacking areas, and nearly leveled on the hour when Florian Wirtz diverted a dangerous cross toward Dean Henderson. From merely six yards away, the German international should have beaten the keeper rather than finding his hands.
Liverpool's emerging fan favorite Chiesa seemed to have rescued his team from embarrassment with three minutes of normal time left, emerging at the back post to level the score despite an extended VAR review concerning a possible Mohamed Salah handball in the buildup to the Italian's goal.
However, Liverpool ultimately experienced late devastation as Nketiah fired past Alisson to halt the Reds' winning streak and capitalize on a fragmented defensive display.
Liverpool Player Ratings (4-2-3-1)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Player | Rating (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Alisson | 7.6 |
RB: Conor Bradley | 6.8 |
CB: Ibrahima Konaté | 7.4 |
CB: Virgil van Dijk | 6.9 |
LB: Milos Kerkez | 6.5 |
DM: Ryan Gravenberch | 7.2 |
DM: Alexis Mac Allister | 6.8 |
RW: Mohamed Salah | 6.1 |
AM: Dominik Szoboszlai | 7.6 |
LW: Florian Wirtz | 6.7 |
ST: Alexander Isak | 6.0 |
SUB: Cody Gakpo (46' for Bradley) | 6.5 |
SUB: Curtis Jones (65' for Mac Allister) | 6.4 |
SUB: Jeremie Frimpong (74' for Konaté) | 5.9 |
SUB: Federico Chiesa (74' for Wirtz) | 7.0 |
SUB: Rio Ngumoha (84' for Isak) | N/A |
Subs not used: Giorgi Mamardashvili (GK), Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo.
Player of the Match: Adam Wharton
Liverpool Player of the Match: Alisson
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Dean Henderson; Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Marc Guéhi; Daniel Muñoz, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell; Ismaïla Sarr, Yéremy Pino; Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Subs: Remi Matthews (GK), Jaydee Canvot, Nathaniel Clyne, Borna Sosa, Jefferson Lerma, Will Hughes, Justin Devenny, Christantus Uche, Eddie Nketiah.