Simsalabim, Crystal Palace Restores Liverpool's Magic

LONDON, SATURDAY — Crystal Palace not only succeeded in repelling Liverpool's attempts to make a comeback at the end of the match, but also turned the tables on their opponents. In the match between the two unbeaten teams, only Palace emerged with the status of being "untouched" in the English Premier League.

Liverpool's record of 100 percent victories in official league matches has come to an end. After sweeping the first five matches while repeatedly scoring winning goals in the final minutes, they were defeated 1-2 by the home team, Palace, at Selhurst Park Stadium, London, England, on Saturday (27/9/2025).

Liverpool, the reigning champions, finally felt the pain of their victims this season. Usually, they only need to say "miraculous" at the end of the match to score the winning goal. This time, it was Palace's turn to score the decisive goal in the 90+7th minute through substitute striker Eddie Nketiah.

"We always believe because there is still time to play. The manager (Oliver Glasner) said to stay calm and we will get the right situation. Thankfully, we succeeded. Not many teams can create as many opportunities against Liverpool," said Nketiah.

Who else but Palace could break Liverpool's spell? At the beginning of the season, "The Eagles" had already defeated Liverpool in a penalty shootout during the Community Shield match. The team coached by Glasner also has a good record against Liverpool, having lost only once in their last four encounters.

Liverpool's difficulties in facing Palace's disciplined play with a 3-4-2-1 formation were evident at Selhurst Park. The visiting team was fortunate to end the first half only trailing 0-1 after a quick goal from striker Ismaila Sarr. They could have been behind by more than two goals if striker Jean-Philippe Mateta had been more clinical in his finishing.

Liverpool may have dominated possession with 72.1 percent. However, Palace was far more efficient in executing their attacks. This was evident as the home team recorded nearly twice as many shots on target, 7-4. Liverpool tended to take more speculative shots from outside the penalty area.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot acknowledged that Palace had the advantage. "The style of play in this match suited their players very well. They were able to defend with a low block and counter-attack quickly. They also have a big striker in Mateta. We struggled," he said.

Liverpool's poor performance at the start of the match was due to Slot's new strategy. Wing player Cody Gakpo, who usually occupies the left side in a 4-2-3-1 formation, was benched. His position was taken over by attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. Coupled with three other midfielders, Liverpool's play became very flat and lacked threat from the wings.

Liverpool performed significantly better after the halftime break, coinciding with Gakpo's entry. At the same time, Palace adopted a more pragmatic approach to maintain their lead. The hosts defended more frequently with a low block, unlike in the first half when they utilized a central block.

As a result, the match seemed to be one-sided. Liverpool had recorded 12 shots since the second half until the 75th minute, while Palace had only one. The relentless attacks bore fruit with a goal in the 87th minute. Substitute player Federico Chiesa successfully capitalized on the scramble in front of the goal.

After the equalizer, Palace returned to hunting mode as in the first half. "The Eagles" no longer defended too deeply and were bolder in counterattacks. Nketiah's goal was created through a long throw-in scheme that resulted from a moment of transitional counterattack.

Glasner stated that the Palace indeed deserved to win. "We played exceptionally well in the first half and deserved to take the lead. Liverpool was entitled to the equalizing goal, but I am happy to see the reaction shown by our team after conceding. We handled that pressure," he said.

Through this result, the Palace successfully established a new club record by remaining unbeaten for 18 consecutive matches across all competitions since last season. They broke a record that had stood since 1969. Furthermore, "The Eagles" are now the only team in the league that remains unbeaten (3 wins, 3 draws).

The Palace has been able to generate this positive trend thanks to a very solid defense. The backline, led by center-back Marc Guehi, has only conceded three goals in the first six weeks of the league. This defense is also what left Mohamed Salah and his teammates out of ideas.

On the other hand, the defeat has led Liverpool to once again indulge in speculation. They were very close to bringing Guehi in during the last summer transfer window. Instead of strengthening "The Reds," Guehi ended up disrupting Liverpool's perfect record with his solid defense and contribution of assists in the decisive goal. (AP/REUTERS)