Liverpool were given a taste of their own medicine by Crystal Palace as Eddie Nketiah’s last-gasp winner wrecked their 100 per cent start to the season. The Eagles snatched a deserved 2-1 victory with the final kick of the match, just after Federico Chiesa thought he had rescued a point for the champions.
Since losing in the Community Shield to Palace, Liverpool had won all seven of their matches this season, clinching victory in six of them in the 83rd minute or later. But it was substitute Nketiah who produced the last-gasp heroics, prompting Palace’s usually reserved boss Oliver Glasner to charge down the touchline in celebration.
Palace took the lead early when Ismaila Sarr struck in the 10th minute. The goal came after Tyrick Mitchell and Yeremy Pino broke down the left, resulting in Palace’s first corner. Daichi Kamada swung in the cross, and Marc Guehi — who would have been playing for Liverpool if the Reds had secured his transfer on deadline day — challenged Ryan Gravenberch at the far post. It was Reds midfielder Gravenberch who inadvertently headed the ball back into his own six-yard box, where Sarr was on hand to lash it home.
Liverpool responded quickly by winning a free-kick on the edge of the Palace area, but play was delayed for six minutes due to a medical emergency in the Arthur Wait stand. When Mohamed Salah finally stepped up, his shot hit the defensive wall, and Gravenberch’s fierce follow-up was superbly tipped onto the near post by Palace keeper Dean Henderson.
Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson Becker was by far the busier keeper throughout the match, keeping his side in it by denying Pino, Daniel Munoz, and Jean-Philippe Mateta in quick succession. Defender Ibrahima Konate, in particular, endured a torrid time at the back, which was compounded when he pulled back Mateta to earn a booking. This display highlighted exactly why Reds boss Arne Slot pushed hard to land England defender Guehi.
Konate probably should have equalised with a free header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner, but the ball flew inches wide. Palace twice came agonisingly close to doubling their lead in first-half stoppage time. First, a slick counter culminated in Mateta curling his shot against Alisson’s far post, then the French striker blazed a volley over from eight yards before the break.
After the break, Munoz just failed to convert Pino’s cross at the far post, before Alisson came out quickly to block Mateta again. Liverpool should have been level on the hour mark, but Florian Wirtz side-footed Szoboszlai’s cross straight at Henderson.
Then came what should have been Alexander Isak’s big moment. The £130 million striker raced onto a ball played in behind, jinked past Chris Richards, only to stab his shot wide.
However, with three minutes left, the ball found Chiesa in the area, and the Italian volleyed home. The goal survived a VAR check for handball by Salah, providing Liverpool with hope.
Yet Nketiah had the last word, tucking the ball away at the far post with another VAR check for offside adding to the late drama — which this time did not go Liverpool’s way.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/late-eddie-nketiah-winner-sees-crystal-palace-end-liverpools-unbeaten-start-1811933.html
