Liverpool coach Arne Slot reflects on loss to Crystal Palace in Premier League clash, 'We can only blame ourselves...'

Liverpool’s head coach, Arne Slot, was candid in his assessment of his team’s 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace in their recent English Premier League (EPL) clash. The defeat at Selhurst Park ended Liverpool’s impressive five-game winning streak, and Slot didn’t pointed the finger at his team’s shortcomings.

“We can only blame ourselves for defending the way we did,” he said in his post-match press conference.

What happened during the game?

The match saw Crystal Palace dominate early, with Ismaila Sarr opening the scoring in the ninth minute, capitalizing on Liverpool’s shaky first-half performance.

“They deserved to be up two or three goals in the first half,” Slot admitted, acknowledging Palace’s creation of four clear chances. Liverpool struggled to find their rhythm, unable to match the intensity of Oliver Glasner’s side.

The second half, however, painted a different picture. Liverpool improved, creating several scoring opportunities, with Federico Chiesa eventually equalizing in the 90th minute. For a moment, it seemed Liverpool might claim a point. But Palace’s substitute, Eddie Nketiah, had other plans, scoring a last-gasp winner that stunned the visitors.

Slot pinpointed a defensive error in the ending moments. He noted, “One of our players ran out because he wanted to play a counter-attack, which was of no use because time was up, so it was only about defending.”

Crystal Palace’s remarkable win

Crystal Palace’s victory was hard-earned. Under Oliver Glasner’s leadership, the south London club has been a tough nut to crack, remaining unbeaten in 18 games across all competitions. Their tactical discipline and ability to seize key moments were evident, particularly in the first half, which Glasner described as “really great to watch” and “the best since we arrived.”

Even after conceding a late equalizer, Palace stayed composed, with Glasner praising his team’s resilience.

“We conceded the equalizer in the 90th minute and very often the momentum changes, but we kept our heads up, played forward and kept the momentum again,” he said.

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s crucial saves also played a significant role, helping Palace weather Liverpool’s second-half storm.

Liverpool’s struggles against Crystal Palace

This defeat marked Liverpool’s second loss to Palace this season, a recurring challenge for the Reds. Slot reflected on their head-to-head record, stating, “We have played them four times and we have won one, drawn one, and lost two. It tells you how difficult it is to beat them.”

The Dutch manager acknowledged Palace’s ability to stifle Liverpool’s attack while capitalizing on defensive lapses, particularly from set pieces, which led to the decisive goal.

Despite the loss, Slot found positives in Liverpool’s second-half performance, noting, “We were able to create a lot against a Palace team which hardly ever concedes chances.”