Liverpool’s perfect start to the season was ended in dramatic fashion as Eddie Nketiah scored a 97th minute winner for Crystal Palace, who beat the Premier League champions 2-1 at Selhurst Park to go a club-record 18 matches unbeaten across all competitions.
Although the visitors dominated the first half in terms of possession, Palace looked more dangerous in the final third and scored with the first major chance of the game in the ninth minute.
Ryan Gravenberch did well at the back post to make the first contact when defending a corner, but he could only divert the ball towards Ismaïla Sarr, who gleefully smashed the ball home from two yards out for his fifth goal in eight matches against Liverpool.
Yeremy Pino and Jean-Philippe Mateta both had chances to extend the lead but were denied by Alisson, which gave Liverpool the platform to grow back into the game.
On his first PL start of the campaign, Alexander Isak looked rusty up front, and that was evident when he broke through on goal and skipped around Dean Henderson, but he was forced into shooting from a narrow angle and couldn’t threaten the goal.
The visitors’ best chance of a first-half leveller came on 37 minutes when Ibrahima Konaté found time and space in the box from a corner, but his header zipped just wide of the post. Arne Slot’s side started to up the ante going into the break, but were given a stark reminder of Mateta’s quality when his curling shot cracked the inside of the post just before the break.
The visitors were able to carry that attacking momentum into the second half, and half-time substitute Cody Gakpo almost made an instant impact as his curled effort flashed just wide of the post.
Florian Wirtz was the next to test Henderson, but he didn’t get a clean connection on his volley, allowing the Palace keeper to awkwardly tip it clear. Although the Eagles looked threatening on the counter, the chances kept coming Liverpool’s way, and Isak missed another good opening after showing quick feet to create space in the area.
Just as it looked like the home side would see the game out, Federico Chiesa scrambled the ball home from close range, and despite a potential handball from Mohamed Salah in the buildup, Liverpool survived the VAR check.
However, one final twist was on the way, as Nketiah turned home in the seventh minute of stoppage time to secure a second successive H2H victory for Palace this season, lifting the Eagles into second in the PL and just three points behind the Reds, who are beaten for the first time in 90 minutes in 2025/26.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)