Liverpool suffered their second consecutive defeat at Anfield, losing 0-1 to Crystal Palace in round 33 and dropping to third in the Premier League.
After a 33-match unbeaten run, Liverpool surprisingly suffered two consecutive defeats in just one week against opponents considered weaker. In midweek, they lost 0-3 to Atalanta in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals. After the match, coach Jurgen Klopp affirmed that his team did not collapse and would rise strongly against Crystal Palace - a team that lost five and drew one of Liverpool's last six visits to the Premier League.
But in reality, things got worse for Klopp and his team. In the 14th minute, they let Tyrick Mitchell escape down the left wing and then cross for Eberechi Eze to tap his right foot diagonally past goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Outside the field, Klopp exclaimed in admiration at Crystal Palace's well-organized attack.
Eze (No. 10) scored the only goal of the match for Crustal Palace. Photo: Reuters
This is the ninth consecutive Premier League game Liverpool have conceded at Anfield - their longest such run at home in the competition. The last time Liverpool had such a poor run was between December 1996 and May 1999.
Just four minutes after conceding, Liverpool's net almost went up again. Virgil van Dijk slipped, leaving Jean-Philippe Mateta wide open. The No. 14 striker chipped the ball over Alisson's head, before Andy Robertson raced back to clear. Goal-line technology showed the ball had not crossed the goal line.
Liverpool had just one shot in the opening 20 minutes - Darwin Nunez's curling effort found Dean Henderson. The home side's first real chance came in the 27th minute, when Wataru Endo turned and hit the crossbar from a chaotic situation in the box. Two minutes later, Luis Diaz flew to finish from Robertson's cross, but Henderson reacted quickly enough to save the corner.
Coach Klopp was absent-minded on the sidelines of Liverpool's loss to Crystal Palace. Photo: Reuters
In the second half, Liverpool wasted more obvious opportunities. In the 55th minute, from a corner kick on the left wing, Van Dijk headed the ball for Nunez to turn and volley hard from close range, but the ball went into Henderson. About 17 minutes later, when the former Man Utd goalkeeper came out and missed, substitute striker Diogo Jota shot straight at Nathaniel Clyne despite an open goal in front of him. Three minutes later, the home team quickly counterattacked. Cody Gakpo passed the ball to Curtis Jones to face Henderson, but the midfielder wearing the number 17 shirt put his shot wide.
There were seven minutes of stoppage time, but the only thing Liverpool could muster was a three-yard shot from Salah that was blocked by Tyrick Mitchell. After the game, many Liverpool players collapsed on the pitch, clutching their faces as if they had just lost a cup final. Klopp's team could not regain the top spot, currently third, behind Arsenal on goal difference and two points behind Man City. From the quadruple, Liverpool can only win one trophy, the League Cup, in Klopp's final season.
On April 18, Liverpool will travel to Atalanta's home ground in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals with the goal of winning by three goals or more.
Line-up
Liverpool : Alisson, Bradley (Alexander-Arnold 48), Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson, Endo (Szoboszlai 46), Curtis Jones, Mac Allister, Salah, Diaz (Jota 66), Nunez (Gakpo 66).
Crystal Palace : Henderson, Lerma, Andersen, Munoz, Mitchell, Will Hughes (Riedewald 77), Wharton, Clyne (Ward 77), Olise (Ayew 68), Eze (Schlupp 77), Mateta (Edouard 90).
Hong Duy
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