Slot blames defender for stoppage-time winner as Palace beat Liverpool at Selhurst Park

Eddie Nketiah's stoppage-time header earned Crystal Palace a 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Selhurst Park on Saturday, snapping Liverpool's five-game winning run and keeping Palace as the Premier League's only unbeaten side. Federico Chiesa had levelled for Liverpool in the 87th minute, setting the stage for the late winner that dashed the visitors' momentum and showcased Palace's resilience in a tightly contested clash.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot issued a pointed critique of the display, saying one of their players left his defensive post to press for a counterattack, effectively wasting time as Palace prepared to counter. He did not name the player, but his remarks were read as a dig at Jeremie Frimpong. "We can only blame ourselves. Defending the way we did," Slot said. "One of our players decided to run out because he wanted to play a counter-attack, which was of no use because time was up." He added: "There was only one team that deserved to win and that was Palace."

"We were able to create quite a lot against a Palace team, which hardly ever concedes a chance," Slot continued, noting Palace's threat from set-pieces as well as open play. "Set-pieces are one of them, but counter-attack and balls in behind are number two and three. From all these situations, they've created a lot of chances." He credited Alisson Becker for key saves during the game: "The good thing was that in the other moments, Alisson saved us." Slot also acknowledged the general balance of the match, saying: "In the first half, they totally deserved to win. In the second half, it was a much better performance from us."

The late twist kept Palace atop the table on points and unbeaten, while Liverpool’s recent positive run was halted by a defeat that exercised both teams’ assessment of late-game discipline and decision-making. Palace had been dangerous on several fronts, with Slot highlighting a mix of set-piece strength, counter-attacks and transitions as sources of Liverpool’s vulnerability. The loss also prompted questions about how Liverpool managed the closing minutes and whether more conservative positioning might have prevented the decisive moment. Palace’s victory added another chapter to a developing season in which the home side have shown a capacity to punish opponents during stoppages and in the final stages of matches, while Liverpool left Selhurst Park with the need to regroup quickly after a match that swung on a single stoppage-time moment.