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.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Arsenal
ARS
|
35 | +57 | 80 |
| 2 |
Man City
MCI
|
34 | +50 | 79 |
| 3 |
Liverpool
LIV
|
35 | +41 | 75 |
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.
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.
Moments after going a goal up, @CPFC were this close to going two ahead!
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2024
What a clearance from Andy Robertson!#LIVCRY pic.twitter.com/3VzTn3iAmg
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.
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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.
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.
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
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 |
Fulham
FUL
|
35 | -4 | 43 |
| 14 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
35 | -12 | 40 |
| 15 |
Everton
EVE
|
35 | -11 | 36 |
| 16 |
Brentford
BRE
|
35 | -8 | 35 |
| 17 |
Nott'm Forest
NFO
|
35 | -20 | 26 |
| 18 |
Luton
LUT
|
35 | -29 | 25 |
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).