Liverpool vs Crystal Palace: Match Preview, Predicted XI and Player to Watch | OneFootball

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace – Carabao Cup Preview

Date: Wednesday, 29th October 2025

Venue: Anfield

Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Liverpool returns to Anfield on Wednesday evening for what suddenly feels like a pivotal fixture in Arne Slot’s early reign. Four consecutive Premier League defeats have shifted the tone from cautious optimism to creeping anxiety, and this Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace now carries a weight far beyond its usual domestic cup context.

For Slot, this isn’t just about progressing to the next round — it’s about stopping the rot that has set in. The reigning English champions have looked disjointed and uncertain, with defensive fragility and an increasingly hesitant attacking shape undermining their campaign. Palace, on the other hand, arrive with confidence, organisation, and a sense that they’ve worked Liverpool out after a string of good performances against the Reds.

Crystal Palace: Glasner’s Growth and a Familiar Threat

Oliver Glasner’s influence at Selhurst Park has been quietly transformative for a club once labelled a yo-yo team of the English pyramid. The Austrian tactician — whose name is now being whispered around Anfield as a potential successor to Slot — has instilled discipline, tactical clarity, and a belief that Palace can compete with the best. Despite losing Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in back-to-back summers, adaptability has not been an issue, something that cannot be shared by Wednesday night’s opponent’s head coach.

Glasner’s side is compact, efficient, and devastating in transition. They press selectively rather than frantically, drawing opponents into uncomfortable spaces before striking through the pace of capable system players. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s hold-up play has become a crucial outlet, while Adam Wharton has added control to midfield since his arrival.

The visitors will see this as a perfect opportunity to progress past a wounded giant. They’ve beaten Liverpool twice in the last five meetings and know exactly how to frustrate them — deny space between the lines, exploit the full-backs, and target the slow recovery between Liverpool’s centre-halves.

Predicted Crystal Palace Lineup (3-4-2-1):

GK: Dean Henderson

CB: Maxence Lacroix

CB: Marc Guéhi

CB: Chris Richards

RWB: Daniel Muñoz

LWB: Jefferson Lerma

CM: Daichi Kamada

CM: Adam Wharton

AM: Yeremy Pino

AM: Ismaïla Sarr

CF: Jean-Philippe Mateta

Liverpool: Searching for Spark and Stability

For Arne Slot, the challenge is twofold — find balance in midfield and rediscover rhythm in attack. Last midweek’s thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe already feels like a distant memory, replaced by domestic frailty and an evident lack of cohesion.

Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai remain among the few bright sparks, offering energy and control amid chaos. Florian Wirtz’s creative freedom must be protected, but without a natural defensive midfielder, Liverpool’s shape continues to suffer. The defensive line — particularly Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk — has looked uncertain, and both full-back positions remain under scrutiny after some truly woeful showings.

Expect some rotation, but not wholesale change. Slot needs a win — any win — to restore belief. Mohamed Salah could be rested, with Federico Chiesa and Hugo Ekitike likely to lead the line. Young Rio Ngumoha might feature again from the bench, while Alexis Mac Allister could start in a deeper role.

Predicted Liverpool Lineup (4-2-3-1):

GK: Giorgi Mamardashvili

RB: Conor Bradley

RCB: Joe Gomez

LCB: Virgil van Dijk (c)

LB: Andy Robertson

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai

CM: Alexis Mac Allister

AM: Florian Wirtz

RW: Federico Chiesa

CF: Hugo Ekitike

LW: Cody Gakpo

The Tactical Picture

Palace will look to absorb and counter — a method that has repeatedly hurt Liverpool in recent months. The Reds must impose tempo early, moving the ball with speed and precision to disrupt Palace’s defensive rhythm. Slot’s system depends on control through midfield, yet his side too often appears static when possession turns over.

This is a fixture Liverpool should win, despite all the poor showings of late. But shoulds have become maybes, and maybes have turned into defeats repetitively. A strong Anfield crowd and a return to assertive, front-foot football are essential.

Player to Watch: Alexis Mac Allister

The Argentina World Cup Winner must at some point find the rhythm and control which had his head and shoulder above all other midfielders in the Premier League, with this occasion representing no better time to play his way into form, dragging his club with him.

Steven Smith’s Score Prediction:

Liverpool 2 – 1 Crystal Palace