Liverpool’s Crisis Deepens After League Cup Exit to Crystal Palace

Liverpool’s season took another dramatic downturn as they were dumped out of the League Cup following a humiliating 3–0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Anfield on Wednesday night.

Two goals from Ismaila Sarr and a late strike from Yeremy Pino sealed a dominant fourth-round victory for the visitors, piling further pressure on Arne Slot, whose side have now lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions.

Sarr and Pino Punish Weakened Reds

Slot opted to rotate heavily, fielding a much-changed line-up as he prioritised upcoming fixtures against Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. Despite this, the result will go down as one of the club’s most chastening nights in recent memory, coming just days after a 3–2 loss to Brentford that further dented their faltering Premier League title defence.

Liverpool have now lost four consecutive league games, leaving them seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

“It’s not Liverpool standards to lose six out of seven,” Slot admitted afterwards. “But with only two days to rest between games and limited first-team options — maybe 15 or 16 players available — this was the decision I made.
“The pressure is already very high for the upcoming week, with three very difficult matches ahead.”

Mounting Problems for Slot’s Liverpool

Liverpool’s decline has been stark. Defensive lapses and inconsistent performances from marquee summer signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have drawn heavy criticism from supporters and pundits alike.

Slot’s starting XI against Palace reflected the club’s current injury and fatigue issues, with Isak, Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk all absent. Teenagers Kieran Morrison, Rio Ngumoha, and Trey Nyoni were handed starts in a youthful and inexperienced line-up that struggled to cope with Palace’s pace and organisation.

The gamble quickly backfired. Despite shifting to a back three, Liverpool were punished when Joe Gomez’s error gifted Sarr the opener in the 41st minute.

Moments later, Sarr doubled the visitors’ advantage, slotting home from Pino’s assist to silence the Anfield crowd before half-time.

Liverpool’s misery deepened late on when substitute Amara Nallo was sent off in the 79th minute for a professional foul on Justin Devenny, before Pino added a third in the 88th minute to secure Palace’s place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Arsenal.

The result marked Palace’s third victory over Liverpool in just 80 days, following their Community Shield shootout triumph and a 2–1 Premier League win.

Elsewhere in the League Cup

Newcastle United advanced to the last eight with a 2–0 home victory over Tottenham Hotspur, courtesy of goals from Fabian Schär and Nick Woltemade. The Magpies will now host Fulham in the quarter-finals.

Manchester City survived an early scare to defeat Championship side Swansea City 3–1, setting up a home tie against Brentford. After Gonçalo Franco gave Swansea a surprise lead, Jérémy Doku levelled before Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki completed the comeback for the holders.

At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal made it eight consecutive wins in all competitions with a 2–0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Teen prodigy Ethan Nwaneri opened the scoring in the 57th minute before Bukayo Saka doubled the lead.
Fifteen-year-old Max Dowman, aged just 15 years and 302 days, made history as Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter, with manager Mikel Arteta praising his “incredible skill and confidence”.

Meanwhile, Chelsea edged past Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–3 in a thrilling encounter, earning a quarter-final trip to third-tier Cardiff City.
Goals from Andrey Santos, Tyrique George, Estevão Willian, and Jamie Gittens secured victory for the Blues, while Toluwalase Arokodare and David Wolfe (with two goals) replied for Wolves.

Chelsea striker Liam Delap was sent off in the 86th minute after two bookings, prompting manager Enzo Maresca to describe his actions as “stupid” and “embarrassing”.

The Road Ahead

For Liverpool, the defeat to Palace represents not just a cup exit but a deepening crisis that threatens to derail their entire campaign. With vital fixtures against Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Manchester City looming, Arne Slot faces mounting pressure to halt the slide and restore confidence to a side that appears to have lost its way.