Champions beaten: Liverpool suffer first defeat of 2025/26 season
Liverpool’s perfect start to the 2025/26 Premier League season came to an end on Saturday, as Crystal Palace pulled off a dramatic 2–1 home win at Selhurst Park.
It was a tough night for Arne Slot and his side, who had won all of their opening league matches before today. Ismaïla Sarr opened the scoring early for Palace, and the hosts held onto their lead for most of the match.
Federico Chiesa appeared to rescue a point for Liverpool with a late equaliser in the 87th minute — but the drama was far from over.
In the 97th minute, Palace struck again. Eddie Nketiah, timing his run to perfection to beat the offside trap, raced through on goal and fired past Alisson to snatch a famous victory for the FA Cup holders.
2025-26, England - Premier League
Crystal Palace - Liverpool 2:1 (1:0)
Goals: Sarr Is., 9 (1:0); Chiesa F., 87 (1:1); Nketiah, 98 (2:1)
Crystal Palace: Henderson D.; Muñoz D.; Mitchell T.; Lacroix M.; Guehi; Richards Chr.; Sarr Is. (Nketiah, 75); Pino Y. (Lerma, 74); Wharton A. (Hughes W., 62); Kamada (Devenny, 90); Mateta
Substitution: Hughes W. (from 62); Lerma (from 74); Nketiah (from 75); Devenny (from 90)
Bench: Matthews Remi; Clyne; Canvot; Sosa B.; Uche
Liverpool: Alisson; van Dijk; Konate (Frimpong J., 74); Kerkez M.; Wirtz (Chiesa F., 74); Szoboszlai; Mac Allister A. (Jones Cur., 65); Bradley C. (Gakpo, 46); Gravenberch R.; Salah; Isak (Ngumoha, 84)
Substitution: Gakpo (from 46); Jones Cur. (from 65); Frimpong J. (from 74); Chiesa F. (from 74); Ngumoha (from 84)
Bench: Mamardashvili; Gomez; Endo W.; Robertson A.
Yellow Cards: Konate 26; van Dijk 61
