Liverpool had coach Arne Slot indicted his side’s poor defensive approach to set-pieces after suffering a first Premier League defeat of the season to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Reds arrived at Selhurst Park on the back of five straight wins in the league and seven across all competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and the Carabao Cup.
However, the reigning Premier League champions tasted their first defeat as Oliver Glasnar’s stubborn Crystal Palace dug deep to claim a deserved 2-1 victory to the delight of a bouncing Selhurst Park.
The Eagles controlled the opening half and deservedly took the lead when Ismaila Sarr forced the ball over the line after Liverpool failed to deal with a corner.
Slot’s charges responded strongly after the interval and thought they had rescued a point when Federico Chiesa struck in the 87th minute. But Palace snatched victory at the death, with former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah sliding in at the back post to score the winner.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the game, the Dutch boss could hardly hide his frustrations with Liverpool’s defensive lapses.
“If you want to compete you need a very positive balance with set pieces and even more in this league.
“It was one of our biggest strengths last season, now we have conceded two against Newcastle and two here. But this league is more and more and more about set pieces.”
“It was a 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.
“Their game style fits really well to their players as they have a low block with fast players on the break and a big man in Mateta.
“We had a lot of problems in the first half. The rest of time we had possession but very hard to beat that low block.”
Liverpool have now failed to win any of their last three games against Palace. The Reds endured a shootout loss in the Community Shield in August and drew 1-1 with the Eagles at Anfield back in May.
Olaoluwa is a dedicated sports writer and passionate football enthusiast with two years of experience. Known for his keen analysis and commitment to the game, his work reflects a deep love for football, blending strategic insight with the emotional moments that make it a global passion. He is focused on honing his skills and consistently aims to inspire and engage readers through every article he writes.
