Crystal Palace beat Liverpool 3-2 on penalties after the stipulated time ended in a 2-2 draw in the FA Community Shield match on Sunday, August 10.
Liverpool led 2-1 at halftime, but Palace equalised in the second half to take the match into a penalty shootout.
The Reds will not be too bothered about the loss, but will keep in mind the fact that they looked good for a quadruple at one point in time last season, but had to settle with a solitary title last season. The defeat against Palace does not augur well for them.
How Did Liverpool’s New Signings Perform?
Arne Slot will be happy with the fact that his new signings played quite well on the day. Florian Wirtz brought composure to the role of a No. 10 in the Reds’ 4-2-3-1, and Hugo Ekitike impressed with his hold-up play.
Ekitike also finished with aplomb from the edge of the penalty box to score on his debut for Liverpool.
Another debutant, Jeremie Frimpong, scored his first goal for the Reds with what looked like an intended cross that fortuitously went into the goal.
Wirtz made it clear with his performance that he is no Kevin De Bruyne, is not as pacey, and is not always looking to play that elusive cross like the Belgian. Instead, he goes about the task in a slow but assured manner and is not hesitant in dropping deep to collect the ball and orchestrate moves.
However, the tendency of both Wirtz and Ekitike to move towards the left flank made Liverpool’s attacks a bit lopsided.
Mohamed Salah was not involved much on the right flank, and Frimpong only made sporadic overlaps.
Dominik Szoboszlai looked a bit out of place in the double-pivot in the midfield, which robbed him of the luxury to make forays into the opposition penalty box.
Moreover, Virgil van Dijk committed an unnecessary foul to give away a penalty to Crystal Palace that led to their first goal.
Palace, however, were the better team in the second half and got their equaliser quite deservedly, going on to win on penalties.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Can Raheem Sterling Reignite His Spark After Chelsea and Arsenal?
Where Do Liverpool Stand Ahead of the Premier League Season?
The Reds have a very strong team.
They may still sign another striker to replace Darwin Nunez, even if they are unable to get Alexander Isak from Newcastle United. That is going to bolster their attack even further.
However, the fact that the tempo of their game looked lethargic at times will keep Slot somewhat worried.
Admittedly, his team was missing Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, but the relevance of Szoboszlai as a defensive midfielder has raised a few questions.
However, the Reds have a number of options in midfield and will also take heart from the fact that Salah is likely to improve once the season ultimately starts.
Still, Crystal Palace have every reason to feel proud of their second trophy in 2025 after their FA Cup win last season. They are a dangerous team that has every reason to do well in the Premier League in the upcoming season.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sportsphoto
Recording Date: 10.08.2025