Report

Liverpool's title hopes hit by SHOCK defeat to Crystal Palace

14 Apr 2024
Eze Palace v Liverpool

Eberechi Eze's strike in the 14th minute enough to secure huge 1-0 win at Anfield

Related Articles
Klopp on Bradley injury and Alexander-Arnold's fitness
Liverpool beaten 1-0 by Crystal Palace at Anfield External Link
Report: Palace win extraordinary Anfield thriller External Link

Eberechi Eze dealt a huge blow to Liverpool’s title hopes as Crystal Palace secured a surprise 1-0 victory at Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp’s side left to rue a glut of missed chances.

Oliver Glasner’s team took a surprise early lead when Eze fired home, as he was left unmarked in Liverpool’s area.

Wataru Endo, Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah spurned glorious opportunities to drag Liverpool level, while Dean Henderson chipped in with some impressive saves.

Alisson brilliantly denied Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Liverpool could not make their goalkeeper’s work count as the Reds’ long unbeaten run at Anfield came to an end after 28 Premier League matches, leaving them in third – two points off leaders Manchester City, with Arsenal being beaten at home by Aston Villa.

The title race

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
1 Man City MCI 38 +62 91
2 Arsenal ARS 38 +62 89
3 Liverpool LIV 38 +45 82
View More
How the match unfolded

Eze silenced the Anfield crowd on 14 minutes, slotting underneath Alisson from inside the box to put the Eagles ahead after a slick team move.

Eze goal v Liverpool

A slip from Virgil van Dijk almost allowed Palace to double their tally shortly after, but Andrew Robertson’s sensational last-gasp clearance prevented Mateta’s deft chip from crossing the line.

Liverpool were inches away from finding an equaliser in the 27th minute – Endo’s close-range effort cannoning off the bar following a scramble in the box.

Palace lived dangerously again moments later, with Luis Diaz’s acrobatic effort from inside the six-yard box somehow tipped over the bar by Henderson.

Darwin Nunez was the next to go close for Liverpool, but his powerful effort from Van Dijk’s knockdown was superbly saved by Henderson.

Jota had the goal at his mercy in the 72nd minute, only for former Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne to make a crucial block to prevent a certain equaliser.

Alisson kept Liverpool in it with an incredible reaction save from Mateta’s close-range strike, and Jones should have restored parity when he raced through at the other end soon after, yet he sliced wide when one-on-one with Henderson.

There was to be one more huge chance for Liverpool, with Tyrick Mitchell on hand to prevent Salah poking in from point-blank range as Palace grasped a memorable victory that takes them into 14th, eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Video is currently not available.

Leaky home defence proves hugely costly

Liverpool – who were thrashed 3-0 at home by Atalanta in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday – have now conceded in each of their last nine Premier League matches at Anfield.

It is their joint-longest run at home without a clean sheet in the competition (also nine in December 1996 and May 1999).

And ultimately, it was that lack of defensive solidity that cost Liverpool on Sunday, and with such fine margins in the title race, it has swung the momentum in their rivals’ favour.

Van Dijk dejected
Glasner’s makeshift backline deliver 

Glasner was forced to use a makeshift defence at Anfield, with Clyne slotting in as a third centre-back, yet Palace’s back line delivered a quite magnificent performance to get their team over the line.

Palace had not won in five matches, but this shock result has seen them put some daylight between themselves and the relegation scrap, and the Eagles might now be able to look towards next season with a bit of certainty.

Club reports

Liverpool report | Palace report

Premier League

Position Pos Club Played Pl GD Points Pts
13 Fulham FUL 38 -6 47
14 Wolves WOL 38 -15 46
15 Everton EVE 38 -11 40
16 Brentford BRE 38 -9 39
17 Nott'm Forest NFO 38 -18 32
18 Luton LUT 38 -33 26
View More
Next Premier League fixtures
Key facts

Liverpool have lost back-to-back matches in all competitions for the first time since April 2023 (run of three), while they have lost consecutively at Anfield for the first time since losing six in a row at home from January to March 2021.

This was Liverpool’s first Premier League defeat at Anfield since October 2022 against Leeds United; the Reds were unbeaten in 28 home league matches prior to today (W22 D6).

Palace ended a 13-match winless run in the Premier League against Liverpool (D2 L11), with this their first league win over the Reds since April 2017. Each of the Eagles’ last four league wins over Liverpool have been at Anfield.

Eze scored his 22nd Premier League goal for Palace, moving him joint-fifth for the club all-time in the competition (level with Jordan Ayew), behind only Wilfried Zaha (68), Christian Benteke (35), Luka Milivojevic (28), and Chris Armstrong (23).

Latest Videos

More Videos

Video is currently not available.

13 Oct 2024

Watch the BEST SAVES of the season so far

Which Premier League goalkeeper do you think has made the greatest stop of 2024/25?

Your details have been submitted successfully.

You have already entered this competition. Please check your email for further information.

Your details have been submitted successfully.

Create a Premier League account

Continue

You are logged in as

Enter your details to submit your entry.