The nightmare run that Liverpool went on under new boss Arne Slot reached a new low as Crystal Palace destroyed them 3 goals to 0 in the League Cup at Anfield that shocked the rest of Merseyside. The two-goal performance of Ismaila Sarr and a late Yeremy Pino goal put Palace into the quarter-finals, and demonstrated worrying weaknesses in the second-string Liverpool.
The men at Slot have since seen their only defeat in their previous seven matches in all competitions, an incredible fall of the champions of the premier league. The Reds were well dressed at the beginning but did not turn possession into goals. The turning point was during the 41st minute when the lack of concentration by Joe Gomez gave Sarr the first goal. Palace pounced a few seconds later, when Sarr completed an accurate through-ball by Pino.
In the second half, the misery of Liverpool did not stop. The frustrations were made worse by the fact that the team was under a sending-off by a reckless challenge by teenage defender Amara Nallo. Pino scored a late goal in the 88 th minute to complete a historic season, the first three-goal defeat at home in the domestic cup in Liverpool history, in 1934.
The loss raises eyebrows on the leadership and their tactical moves by Slot. As the Dutch manager encouraged people to remain calm after the match, the fans are starting to get impatient. Next on the list of opponents in the premier leagues is Aston Villa and Slot is continuously under pressure to perform quick results.
In case of the further decrease, Liverpool is in danger of transforming a transitional season into a full-fledged crisis – and the honeymoon that Slot has had could end soon.
