Liverpool suffered a humiliating 0-3 home defeat to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup, crashing out in the Fourth Round. Arne Slot’s much-changed and youthful squad was dismantled at Anfield, deepening the club’s ongoing crisis.
Match Summary and Key Moments
Liverpool’s deepening crisis under manager Arne Slot took a significant turn for the worse after they were comprehensively beaten 0-3 by Crystal Palace at Anfield in the EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) Fourth Round on Wednesday night. This result marks Liverpool’s sixth loss in their last seven matches across all competitions.
Arne Slot made 10 changes to his starting XI, prioritizing upcoming league and Champions League fixtures against teams like Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. The gamble backfired spectacularly, as the inexperienced lineup struggled to cope with Palace’s intensity and clinical finishing.
Goals and Incidents:
Sarr Double (41′, 45′): Crystal Palace established a commanding lead just before halftime. Ismaïla Sarr, who has been a consistent tormentor of Liverpool this season, capitalized on defensive lapses to score twice in quick succession in the 41st and 45th minutes, putting Palace up 0-2.
Red Card (79′): Liverpool’s evening went from bad to worse in the second half. Young substitute defender Amara Nallo was shown a straight red card in the 79th minute for fouling a Palace player who was through on goal.
Pino Seals the Win (88′): With Liverpool down to ten men, Yeremy Pino sealed the emphatic victory for Palace with a composed finish in the 88th minute, making the final score 0-3.
The defeat means Liverpool are eliminated from the competition, and the pressure on Arne Slot continues to mount significantly as the team faces a daunting run of fixtures.