Slot gives honest assessment of Isak’s Liverpool performance at Palace
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot publicly criticized one of his players after their 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace opened the scoring early with Ismaila Sarr netting in the 9th minute, marking his fifth goal against Liverpool in eight appearances. Despite Liverpool featuring key players like Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Mohamed Salah, Palace maintained the lead for most of the match.
Liverpool did equalize late through substitute Federico Chiesa in the 87th minute, seemingly rescuing a point. However, deep into stoppage time, Palace’s Marc Guehi flicked the ball on to Eddie Nketiah, who scored the winning goal, handing Palace their second victory of the season while leaving them just three points behind league leaders Liverpool.
Slot expressed disappointment with the defensive lapses leading up to the late goal and appeared to single out a player, widely reported as Ibrahima Konate, for a poor performance including a crucial mistake before his substitution in the 74th minute. Konate’s struggles contributed significantly to Palace’s winning opportunity.
This defeat marks Liverpool’s first loss of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, prompting early questions about their defensive solidity, especially considering gift-like errors at set pieces and key moments.
Slot also reflected on the selection challenges caused by absences, including the necessity to start record signing Alexander Isak, who was otherwise expected to have a bigger impact but ultimately did not turn the game for Liverpool.
Looking forward, Liverpool will regroup before their Champions League away fixture against Galatasaray, while Crystal Palace continue their strong domestic form and prepare for their Conference League opener against Dynamo Kyiv.
PP