The crisis at Anfield deepened last night as Crystal Palace secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over a heavily rotated Liverpool side, powering their way into the fifth round of the Carabao Cup. The defeat marks a staggering sixth loss in seven games across all competitions for Arne Slot’s men, piling immense pressure on the Dutch head coach.
Ismaila Sarr proved Liverpool’s tormentor, striking twice in a decisive first-half spell, before Yeremy Pino grabbed the third goal late on to condemn the Premier League champions to an embarrassing home exit.
The Match: Mistakes and Misery
With Liverpool clearly prioritising crucial upcoming fixtures against Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, Slot made 10 changes to his starting XI, rolling the dice with teenagers Kieran Morrison, Rio Ngumoha, and Trey Nyoni. The gamble, however, failed spectacularly against a streetwise Crystal Palace outfit.
Slot’s decision to switch to a back three backfired almost immediately. In the 41st minute, a mistake from defender Joe Gomez allowed Sarr to pounce, rifling home from 12 yards to open the scoring. The Senegal winger doubled Palace’s lead just before the break, netting from a Pino assist in front of a shell-shocked Kop.
The Reds’ miserable night was compounded in the 79th minute when substitute Amara Nallo was sent off for a professional foul on Justin Devenny, leaving Liverpool to play the remainder of the match with 10 men. Pino then sealed the decisive victory in the 88th minute with a clinical third goal.
The result continues Palace’s dominance over Liverpool this season, having now defeated Slot’s side three times in the space of just 80 days, including wins in the Community Shield and the Premier League.
Crisis Point for Liverpool
This latest reverse comes hot on the heels of a 3-2 league loss at Brentford and further highlights the stunning fall from grace for the reigning Premier League champions. Liverpool have now lost their last four league matches and trail leaders Arsenal by seven points, with defensive frailties and poor form from blockbuster summer signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz drawing intense criticism.
While key players like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Isak, and Wirtz were rested, Slot’s decision to rely so heavily on youth for such a vital match drew immediate and harsh condemnation from fans and pundits alike.
Despite the backlash, Slot defended his selection after the game, citing injury concerns that have left him with only 15 or 16 available senior players, and the club’s tradition of using the League Cup to blood academy prospects.
“It is always a blow to lose a game, especially when it leads to going out of a competition,” Slot said. “But it is the same selection I did last season in rounds like this… I don’t think it’s possible that if you lose five out of six, that losing six out of seven there is even more pressure, but if you play for Liverpool, you know the pressure is there.”
However, critics argued that the heavy rotation was a mistake, accusing the head coach of setting up his young players for failure against a strong Palace side and showing a lack of intent to win the competition.
The focus now shifts to Saturday’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa at Anfield, followed by a Champions League meeting with Real Madrid. With the pressure mounting and confidence plummeting, Liverpool desperately need a positive result to arrest their dire run of form.
