Nketiah stuns Liverpool as Palace end champions' perfect start

Eddie Nketiah struck a dramatic winner, in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time, as Crystal Palace ended Liverpool's perfect start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park.

Oliver Glasner's in-form Eagles went ahead through Ismaila Sarr's early strike, and they could have put the game to bed in the first half, if not for a brilliant display from Alisson.

But Liverpool grew in confidence in the second period, with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak both missing good chances before substitute Federico Chiesa – who also scored late on against AFC Bournemouth in the first Matchweek – equalised in the 87th minute.

However, there was one final twist as Palace substitute Nketiah volleyed home after the ball was flicked into his path, with the goal surviving a VAR check for a possible offside.

While Arne Slot’s champions remain top of the league with 15 points, Palace are now just three points behind them in second, with the only remaining unbeaten record.

How the match the match unfolded

Palace took the lead after nine minutes when an in-swinging corner deflected kindly into the path of Sarr, who made no mistake from six yards out.

Both goalkeepers were then called into action, with Alisson denying Yeremy Pino before Dean Henderson tipped Ryan Gravenberch's strike on to the post.

Alisson's busy first half continued as he kept out Daniel Munoz, before the Liverpool goalkeeper also thwarted Jean-Philippe Mateta's effort with his left leg.

Mateta had two more chances before half-time, curling against the upright from the edge of the box then volleying over the bar from closer in.

Liverpool improved after the interval, with Wirtz testing Henderson before Isak missed the target from close range, but Chiesa looked to have spared their blushes when he found the bottom-left corner with stoppage time looming.

However, Nketiah had the final say, volleying through the legs of Alisson after showing brilliant composure to control Marc Guehi’s flick-on with his chest.

Watch Nketiah's goal

Sarr shines on return

Although Nketiah will take most of the headlines following his winner, Sarr showed why he is so important to Glasner’s high-flyers.

After returning from a two-game absence, not only was he on hand to give his side an early lead, but the 27-year-old was unfortunate not to register an assist after squaring the ball for Pino early on.

Sarr’s return also allowed Glasner to add another attacking dimension to his side.

Daichi Kamada occupied the right-wing position in the two games prior, but he was moved into midfield alongside Adam Wharton for this fixture as Will Hughes dropped to the bench.

This allowed Palace to keep the pressure on Liverpool throughout the first half, with Kamada helping move the ball forward from deeper positions, while Sarr constantly troubled the Reds' backline with his pace.

Glasner replaced Wharton with Hughes just after the hour-mark, after Liverpool started to gain some momentum, which allowed the hosts to be more stubborn off the ball.

And another substitution, the 75th-minute introduction of Nketiah, proved inspired as he struck with virtually the last kick of the game.

Palace will now bound into a busy week as they begin their UEFA Conference League campaign against Dynamo Kyiv next Thursday, before travelling to Everton three days later.

Slot’s centre-back concerns

Liverpool almost escaped with a point despite another unconvincing performance, but after Nketiah's winner, attention will turn to the champions' defensive frailties.

Guehi attracted some of the spotlight ahead of this match after his reported Deadline-Day move to Liverpool fell through at the 11th hour, and the Reds’ struggles highlighted the reasons for Slot’s interest in the England international.

Ibrahima Konate had a very shaky start to the match, first getting dispossessed before Pino’s chance, then losing his footing when Mateta was played through on goal.

Glasner’s side looked to capitalise on Konate’s nerves, with Mateta often standing next to his fellow Frenchman when receiving long-balls, instead of challenging Virgil van Dijk.

Guehi, on the other hand, showed great confidence when carrying the ball forward as he looked to help Palace build on their early advantage, and he went on to assist Nketiah’s winner.

After Giovanni Leoni was ruled out for the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, Slot will have to make do with just three recognised centre-backs until the January transfer window.

With trips to Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League and Chelsea in the Premier League to come before the international break, Slot will be desperate for his central defenders to find some form.

Club reports 

Crystal Palace report | Liverpool report

What the managers said 

Oliver Glasner: "Winning is always a great result but when it is against the champions it is even even better.

"We played the best first half since I arrived. We were 1-0 up teams like Liverpool are able to strike back. The pressure was high and then they got the equaliser. But huge credit to the players, we struck back and got the winner at the end. I am delighted for Eddie Nketiah coming back from a long injury."

Arne Slot: "Very difficult first half. They did really well and deserved to be 1-0 up, we were lucky it was only 1-0.

"Second half it was the opposite. It took a while before we scored and we did with a few minutes left. But from a second set piece they won the game."

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Key facts

Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last 18 games in all competitions (eight wins, 10 draws), their joint-longest ever unbeaten run as a Football League club (also 18 from February-August 1969).

Timed at 96:59, Nketiah recorded both the latest winning goal on record scored by Crystal Palace in the Premier League and latest winner conceded by Liverpool in the competition (since 2006/07).

Crystal Palace are now the only remaining unbeaten side in the Premier League this season (played six, won three, drawn three). It’s only the fifth time the Eagles have ever avoided defeat in their opening six matches of a league campaign, along with 1975/76, 1978/79, 1979/80, and 1990/91.

Liverpool’s 100 per cent winning record in the 2025/26 Premier League came to an end, and they trailed for the very first time in the league this campaign. The Reds have now lost four of their last seven away games in the competition (three wins), more defeats than their previous 39 on the road beforehand (three)