Crystal Palace
October 2025
Liverpool exited the Carabao Cup after a 3–0 home defeat to Palace. Arne Slot made 10 changes, fielding an inexperienced XI with no senior bench cover. Ismaïla Sarr’s quickfire brace before half-time and Yeremy Pino’s late strike sealed it, compounding Liverpool’s poor domestic run. Slot prioritised pathway minutes and injury risk management amid a congested schedule, resting Salah, Van Dijk and others. The youthful side struggled versus Palace’s direct transitions and wide isolations. Red card disruption deepened structural gaps. Expect senior reinforcements and rotation recalibration as Liverpool addresses set-piece defending and two-day turnarounds.