Eddie Nketiah strikes late as Palace hand Liverpool first defeat of the season | OneFootball

Crystal Palace ended Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the season with a dramatic stoppage-time winner that secured a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park today.

Eddie Nketiah struck in the 97th minute to hand Palace their first league win over Liverpool at home in more than a decade, sparking wild celebrations around the stadium.

The substitute latched onto a loose ball after a late free-kick and volleyed past Alisson, with a brief VAR check only heightening the tension before the goal was confirmed.

It was a fitting conclusion to a pulsating contest in which Oliver Glasner’s side once again demonstrated why they are now on an 18-match unbeaten run across all competitions.

Ismaila Sarr had given Palace the lead inside 10 minutes, pouncing on a loose ball in the box after Liverpool failed to deal with a Daichi Kamada corner.

The home side dominated much of the first half, with Jean-Philippe Mateta striking the post and Dean Henderson largely untroubled in the Palace goal.

Liverpool’s defensive vulnerability was apparent, and Alexander Isak endured a frustrating afternoon with few touches and limited service.

Arne Slot’s side regrouped after the break, pushing Palace deep into their own half and finally equalising in the 87th minute.

Federico Chiesa punished a mistake from Chris Richards, drilling in from close range to silence Selhurst Park and raise hopes of another late rescue for the champions.

However, Palace were not finished, with Glasner’s substitutions proving decisive. Nketiah gave his team a much-needed outlet up front and eventually produced the decisive moment in added time.

The result moved Palace up to second in the table, continuing their remarkable momentum since Glasner’s arrival 18 months ago.

The Austrian has built a side that is defensively solid, dangerous from set-pieces, and capable of unsettling even the league’s strongest teams.

For Liverpool, the defeat was their first since losing the Community Shield in August. It highlighted the growing pains of a team still searching for fluency after significant summer spending.

Slot’s record signing Florian Wirtz struggled to influence the game, while Isak squandered chances that might have shifted the balance before Chiesa’s equaliser.

The champions will now need to regroup quickly with more demanding fixtures to come, while Palace prepare to take their impressive form into the Europa Conference League.