Liverpool’s flawless Premier League start was brought to a crashing halt on Saturday as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, who are now the only undefeated side in the division.
Palace End Liverpool’s Run
The reigning English champions had relied on late goals to maintain their perfect record in the opening five matches. But at Selhurst Park, it was Palace who struck late.
Ismaila Sarr opened the scoring early on, punishing Liverpool’s failure to clear a corner. Federico Chiesa looked to have saved the Reds once again when he smashed home an 87th-minute equaliser in a crowded box. Yet, with almost the last kick of the game, Eddie Nketiah showed composure to bury the winner and send the home fans into raptures.
Palace’s Historic Form
Victory stretched Palace’s club-record unbeaten streak to 18 games in all competitions, three of those against Liverpool. Keith Andrews’ side now sit second in the table, just three points behind Liverpool, with Arsenal able to climb above them if they beat Newcastle on Sunday.
Reds Exposed at the Back
Liverpool’s display reflected a worrying pattern—sloppy defending, reliance on late rescues, and failure to control games. Jurgen Klopp’s men, who lifted the title last season, suddenly look vulnerable as their rivals close in.
“This time we couldn’t find the miracle,” Klopp admitted post-match. “We created enough to equalise, but conceding so late is very hard to take.”
Around the Grounds
While Liverpool stumbled, rivals also had mixed fortunes across the Premier League. Manchester United’s misery deepened with a 3-1 defeat at Brentford, where defensive errors and Bruno Fernandes’ missed penalty piled more pressure on boss Ruben Amorim. United have now won just two of their opening six games and sit in 13th place.
Manchester City, meanwhile, cruised to a 5-1 victory over Burnley, helped by two own goals from defender Maxime Esteve and a late Erling Haaland brace that took his season tally to 15 goals across all competitions. The win kept Pep Guardiola’s side firmly in the title hunt.
Chelsea’s woes also continued as they fell 3-1 at Brighton. A red card for Trevoh Chalobah turned the tide after Enzo Fernandez had given them a first-half lead, with Danny Welbeck starring in the Seagulls’ comeback. The Blues remain mid-table and searching for consistency.
(with agency inputs)
