Liverpool vs Crystal Palace Carabao Cup 2025

Liverpool faced Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup 2025-26 fourth round at Anfield, but in a surprising turn, Liverpool lost 3-0 and exited the competition. The match highlighted Liverpool's ongoing struggles this season, as this defeat marked their sixth loss in seven recent games across all tournaments. Crystal Palace has proven a challenging opponent this season, handing Liverpool three losses including this one.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot made a bold decision before the match by fielding a heavily rotated squad with ten changes compared to the previous Premier League game. This included resting many key senior players and giving opportunities to younger and less experienced squad members. The idea behind this move was to manage player workload amid a busy schedule, but the gamble did not pay off. Initially, Liverpool started brightly and showed promise with a 3-4-3 formation, but Crystal Palace adapted well and took control by the end of the first half.

Crystal Palace’s first-half dominance was underscored by Ismaila Sarr, who scored twice late before halftime, continuing his impressive record against Liverpool with seven goals in nine matches versus them. Later in the match, Yeremy Pino added a third goal in the 88th minute to seal the victory for Palace. Liverpool's teenager Amara Nallo was sent off with a red card in the second half, further hampering Liverpool's comeback hopes.

This result puts Liverpool in a difficult position as they try to bounce back from a season full of setbacks. While the Carabao Cup exit may disappoint fans, the team's priority could be the Premier League and upcoming key matches in the Champions League. Slot defended his team selection saying this competition is often used to give academy players experience, and not all defeats are disastrous if they lead to longer-term benefits.

From a neutral perspective, the clash reflected the balancing act clubs face during busy schedules—managing player fitness while trying to compete on multiple fronts. Crystal Palace, repeated winners over Liverpool this season, demonstrated how consistency and exploiting opposition weaknesses can pay off. Liverpool showed flashes of potential but lacked the firepower and experience on the day to overcome a confident Palace side fully prepared for the contest.

Looking ahead, Liverpool will need to regroup quickly to address their struggles and utilize their full-strength squad optimally, while Crystal Palace can take confidence from this commanding victory as they progress further in the Carabao Cup and continue their domestic campaigns.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies