Crystal Palace continue to haunt Liverpool, and that might be the least of Arne Slot’s concerns should his decision to field a weakened team in the Carabao Cup fail to pay dividends in the coming days at Anfield.
Oliver Glasner’s FA Cup and Community Shield winners eased into the League Cup quarter-finals courtesy of a first-half double from Liverpool’s tormentor-in-chief Ismaïla Sarr. The Senegal international made it seven goals in nine appearances against Liverpool as Palace made it three wins in 80 days over Slot’s team.
The Liverpool head coach made 10 changes for the fourth round tie but this Palace team are simply too streetwise, too well-drilled and too talented to be treated so lightly. A sixth defeat in seven games, a heavy one at that, was the almost inevitable outcome for Liverpool. A late red card for substitute Amara Nallo and an 88th-minute strike from the excellent Yéremy Pino increased the punishment for the hosts.
The priority for Slot was clearly Aston Villa’s visit in the Premier League on Saturday as he gave the majority of the senior squad the night off and more time preparing on the training ground. His risk was not so much the starting line-up, a typical mix for this stage of the competition of youth and experience, but having no insurance policies whatsoever on the bench.
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Nine members of the squad featured for the under-21s in Sunday’s mini-derby defeat of Everton. Nine was also the sum total of first-team appearances among the nine substitutes. Glasner went much stronger, making five changes to the team beaten by Arsenal on Sunday with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell on the bench.
In fairness to Slot and his makeshift selection there was little between the teams for 40 minutes and, in 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool had one of the most enterprising players on display. The teenager’s tidy footwork and willingness to attack the Palace defence at every opportunity lifted the home crowd. Ngumoha went close with one curling effort from the edge of the penalty area and created Liverpool’s best opening of the first half when slipping in Federico Chiesa. From a tight angle, the Italy striker’s low shot was saved by the legs of Walter Benítez.
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But Palace were patient, composed and their greater experience eventually told. Will Hughes fired the visitors’ first attempt on goal straight at Freddie Woodman in the Liverpool goal. The boyhood Palace fan and academy graduate was making his first competitive start for Slot’s side with Alisson injured and Giorgi Mamardashvili rested. Woodman was given another routine save to make when Sarr headed a Daichi Kamada cross straight at him, and was then given no chance as the Palace forward tormented Liverpool once again.
Palace’s two goals shortly before the interval both stemmed from Kamada passes played straight down the centre of the pitch. The midfielder’s first incisive ball found Daniel Muñoz inside the area. His heavy touch rebounded off Joe Gomez straight to the unmarked Sarr, who swept his finish inside Woodman’s left hand post under no pressure.
Four minutes later Kamada put Liverpool under pressure again with a first time pass into Sarr. The Senegal international flicked a lay-off into Pino and darted into the penalty area. Pino found his run brilliantly, dissecting the Liverpool defence with a disguised pass, giving Sarr time and space to again beat Woodman with ease. Liverpool desperately needed the half-time whistle to go as Palace pressed for a third.
Heads cleared, Liverpool started the second half brightly as they looked for a way back into the contest but Palace continued to protect Benítez well. Glasner’s half-time introduction of Mateta for Eddie Nketiah almost rubbed Liverpool’s noses in the fact there would be no cavalry arriving from their bench.
The visitors gradually took the sting out of Liverpool’s threat, just as they did in the first half. Mateta twice had a clear run at the home defence but his shot was charged down on both occasions.
Liverpool’s bad night deteriorated in the closing stages. Nallo, dismissed four minutes into his Champions League debut against PSV Eindhoven last season, received a straight red card for an identical offence when hauling down Palace substitute Justin Devenny.
The young defender understandably buried his face in his shirt at the repeat offence, which came 12 minutes into his first appearance of this season. Pino applied the finishing touch on Palace’s comfortable night when finding the bottom corner after Gomez’s clearance had been intercepted. There is no respite for Slot.
Elsewhere, Manchester City got a 3-1 win away to Swansea, Arsenal were 2-0 winners over Brighton at the Emirates, Chelsea won 4-3 away to Wolves despite Liam Delap picking up a late red, and Newcastle came away with a 2-0 over Tottenham at St James’ Park. – Guardian
