Report & Highlights: Ruthless Palace return to haunt Anfield

Summary

• Five changes for Palace with Benítez, Canvot, Hughes, Sosa & Nketiah all starting.
• 7: Morrison attacks Robertson’s cross for Liverpool, but nods over.
• 17: Ngumoha curls just wide of the top corner as Liverpool begin the brighter.
• 23: Chiesa races clear for Liverpool but blasts over the bar.
• 30: Hughes tests Woodman’s handling with a well-struck volley.
• 33: Sarr then crowded out at the near post after being found by Pino.
• 41 – GOAL: Sarr reacts sharply to a loose ball to lash Palace into the lead.
• 45 – GOAL: The forward combines brilliantly with Pino to sidefoot Palace into a commanding position.
• HT: Liverpool 0-2 Palace
• 49: Palace threaten on the counter, with Hughes almost finding Sarr in front of goal.
• 52: Canvot makes an important block from Chiesa’s effort.
• 70: The Eagles hold their shape well to deny Liverpool any clear chances.
• 80 – RED CARD: Liverpool’s Nallo dismissed for professional foul on Devenny.
• 87 – GOAL: Pino bends in a low finish for his first Palace goal, wrapping up the win.
• FT: Liverpool 0-3 Palace

There was something of a sense of déjà vu about the occasion when Oliver Glasner’s Eagles were drawn to face Arne Slot’s Reds for the fourth time in just over five months. Having won one and drawn two (winning one of those meetings, the Community Shield, on penalties) in that timeframe, Palace had arguably proven themselves the Premier League winners’ kryptonite.

There were two much-changed XIs for this contest, however: Glasner elected to make five from the weekend defeat at Arsenal, with Walter Benítez, Jaydee Canvot, Will Hughes, Borna Sosa and Eddie Nketiah all starting. Liverpool boss Slot, meanwhile, rotated his entire side.

Those fresher legs perhaps accounted for Liverpool’s admittedly brighter start in attack, with 18-year-old Kieran Morrison going close with an early header after being picked out well by Andrew Robertson’s out-swinging cross.

It was on the left where Liverpool threatened throughout an entertaining first 30 minutes, with 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha driving at the Palace backline whenever he could; Canvot, in particular, stood tall to the challenge with a series of important blocks.

Liverpool probably should have taken the lead, however, on 23 minutes, when a long ball over the top bounced between Canvot and Maxence Lacroix and Federico Chiesa – controlling with skill – touched it past the duo but, with Benítez to beat, blazed his finish over the bar.

From then on, Palace took control of the contest – a clever pick-out from Yéremy Pino allowed Hughes to volley goalwards with good technique, but the effort, amidst torrential rain, was held by former Palace Academy goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, making his first appearance for Liverpool.

A clever touch from Pino – after Daniel Muñoz had hoisted the ball forwards – was the source of the next danger for Palace as well, with some excellent control flummoxing Joe Gomez. His clipped cross towards was flicked goalwards by Sarr, who was crowded out at the near post by Woodman.

And from then-on, the half was the Ismaïla Sarr show.

The move was kick-started by a first-time Kamada pass – beautifully lofted towards the inside run of Muñoz. Although the Colombian was tackled by Gomez as he sought to bring it down, the ball fell perfectly into the path of Sarr who – 12 yards out, in plenty of time – laced an exemplary left-footed finish into the bottom-right corner.

The No. 7’s track record against Liverpool was already something to behold – but moments before half-time, he seemingly killed off the contest with an even better effort.

Kamada again started the move with a quick ball into Sarr, who laid off for Pino and raced into space. Pino’s return was excellent, Sarr was clean through – and he duly lifted the ball over Woodman and into the far corner to give Palace a two-goal lead at half-time.

Seven goals in nine games against Liverpool for Sarr (including appearances for Watford) – some record.

When the two teams re-emerged after the break, and the Merseyside downpour only increased, it seemed unlikely the hosts would have many opportunities to get back into it.

Palace were looking to put the game to bed, as Hughes charged forwards and attempted a slide-rule pass for Sarr, which Gomez cut out at the last second.

At the other end, Liverpool began to assert themselves in possession but Palace held their shape superbly, restricting the hosts to shots from distance – one of which, from Chiesa, was well charged down by Canvot.

It was to Palace’s credit that Liverpool chances in the second-half were few and far between, with the Eagles looking likelier to extend their advantage.

With a raft of substitutions made by both sides, the game was effectively ended in the 80th minute by a straight red card to 18-year-old Amara Nallo for Liverpool.

With a long ball half-cleared, Jean-Philippe Mateta – on at half-time – seized onto it and played through Justin Devenny, who was hauled back by Nallo. It was a clear professional foul, and with it, a red card.

There was still time for the icing on the cake as Pino scored his first Palace goal, collecting a pass from Jefferson Lerma before bending in a precise low finish into the far bottom corner, celebrating in front of the travelling support.

Two days before Halloween, they may well be having nightmares about Ismaïla Sarr and Palace on Merseyside – but for Glasner’s Eagles, a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals signified a job well done.

Liverpool: Woodman (GK), Gomez, Endo, Kerkez, Mac Allister (Nallo, 67), Chiesa, Robertson (Lucky, 67), Nyoni, Ramsay, Morrison (Gordon, 67), Ngumoha (Kone-Doherty, 86).

Subs: Pecsi (GK), Pinnington, Figueroa, Pilling, Laffey.

Palace: Benítez (GK), Canvot, Lacroix, Guéhi, Muñoz (Cardines, 73), Kamada, Hughes (Lerma, 73), Sosa (Uche, 83), Sarr (Devenny, 62), Pino, Nketiah (Mateta, HT).

Subs: Henderson (GK), Mitchell, Clyne, Esse.

As It Happened