Crystal Palace 2 Liverpool 1: Match Review

Neil Atkinson’s post-match overview for The Anfield Wrap after Crystal Palace 2 Liverpool 1 within the 2025-2026 Premier Leagu at Selhurst Park…

THE FIRST-HALF wasn’t simply not ok, it was the type of first-half which ought to see you out of a sport. It was the type of first-half which ought to result in severe overview.

Credit score to Crystal Palace for that, however no surprises from Crystal Palace both. The latter is what’s damning from Liverpool’s viewpoint.

I might spend this writing explaining why Ismaila Sarr is outstanding and the way a lot he hurts you in that function and the way he damages your line.

I might as a substitute write about Jean-Philippe Mateta and why he’s the most effective alehouse ahead of the final ten years. (You must know sufficient to know that’s near the very best of compliments from me).

Or we might discuss Daniel Munoz, the person who received Crystal Palace’s participant of the yr final yr forward of Marc Guehi, Dean Henderson, Eberechi Eze or both of the above.

The purpose is that I might have written all of the above about these lads, about Oliver Glasner, concerning the membership having the most effective calendar yr of their complete existence on Friday.

There have been no surprises.

Crystal Palace turned up, received a nook which wasn’t theirs to win after which have been the most effective model of themselves for 45 minutes and Liverpool had no reply. Liverpool appeared to be shocked by the query.

And that isn’t ok.

The supervisor is ruthless together with his gamers and I am keen on him for it. He’s probably the most trustworthy man on the town and he’s the soundest man I do know. However at this time wasn’t ok and that’s, at the beginning, on him. His gamers let the aspect down, beginning with Tuesday night time, however none of that may be a adequate excuse. Crystal Palace are crystal clear concerning the issues they’ll pose. They’re rigidly themselves.

Liverpool solely don’t go in three down as a result of they’ve the most effective goalkeeper on this planet. That they find yourself dropping this sport is, greater than something, an insult to him. He’s probably the most valuable commodity.

Liverpool are horrible first-half, good second-half at 1-0, dreadful second-half at 1-1 and Liverpool get what they deserve.

The positives: Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and Federico Chiesa who genuinely ought to really feel onerous carried out to. He reveals but once more. I’ve been a Chiesa sceptic however it’s time he began significant video games.

The negatives: I imply good god, the place do you begin? Effectively Ibou Konate who might effectively suppose he might play for Actual Madrid subsequent season. Perhaps he ought to. Crystal Palace will end Eighth or Eighth-ish. And so they battered him. Perhaps it’s simpler to skate by way of video games in opposition to Eighth taking part in for them. As a result of they battered him first-half, they took him to the cleaners. Conor Bradley discovered it onerous each out and in of possession.

In a manner my greatest concern is Alexis Mac Allister who finds lengthy stretches of video games tough in the meanwhile. So lots of his strengths are at the moment inverted. He can’t discover house, can’t discover time, can’t discover a man. He malfunctions earlier than our eyes. He wants each video games and a break and I don’t envy the supervisor figuring out the answer.

The place we want extra from the supervisor is round Mo Salah. Final season every thing was constructed round him however this season the concept seems to be he decorates video games. That is beautiful in concept however the blood and bone means extra Salah not much less.

This throws us again to the arrange. Florian Wirtz is just not a left-forward. He might pull that manner however he isn’t that. Wirtz grows into the sport solely to be hooked. He reveals once more that it’ll come. However we might do with extra on the journey.

The defeat stings and the suspicion of offside is current however the reality is that we didn’t deserve a degree. We performed at 1-0 like a crew who, in the event that they discovered one would discover two, however we couldn’t see that by way of.

As an alternative we get beat. I’m alright with getting beat. You get beat. The character of taking part in and desirous to play is you get beat every now and then. Present me a very good loser and I’ll present you a loser is a cliche. A very good loser, the most effective loser, learns from dropping. Gerard Houllier was an excellent loser. Alex Ferguson was a fucking sensible loser. Top-of-the-line there has ever been. I get beat on a regular basis. It simply doesn’t occur on tv, in public view.

However Liverpool have to get higher from it, have to be taught, want to enhance. This aspect at the moment has as many questions as solutions and this aspect will finish this weekend prime of the pops. Frankly: the most effective crew within the nation must get higher.

Our opponents at this time are but once more a credit score to themselves, their supervisor and this league. Stroll round them. Take a look at how they eke every thing out of their assets. Admire them. Adore them.

Liverpool’s job is to take their assets and eke every thing out. Take Anfield and eke every thing out. Take each second and eke every thing out. Crystal Palace are a powerful reminder that we’re all in it collectively, that we’re able to every thing at any second – the most effective calendar yr in our historical past being a kind of issues.

Nothing at this time stops that. Be good losers, Liverpool, be the most effective losers, the most effective learners. Be on the march. You get beat every now and then. Fuck it. Time to point out me what profitable actually appears to be like like.

Neil