Nketiah at 97: Palace shatter Liverpool’s perfect start in a Selhurst Park epic

Eddie Nketiah struck with virtually the last kick of the game to earn Crystal Palace a 2-1 victory over Liverpool and end the champions’ five-match winning start to the Premier League season. On a thunderous afternoon in south London, Ismaila Sarr’s ninth-minute opener was cancelled out late by Federico Chiesa, only for Nketiah to pounce in the seventh minute of added time after a long-throw routine to send Selhurst Park into delirium.

Palace were outstanding for long stretches, stretching their unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches—equalling a club record set in 1969—and, on this evidence, fully meriting a first home league win over Liverpool since November 2014. They rise to second and, remarkably, are now the only unbeaten side left in the Premier League; Liverpool, for once, found no late escape.

Selhurst seizes the initiative

The tone was set early. After Virgil van Dijk’s loose pass was pinched by Tyrick Mitchell, Palace earned a corner—a decision that looked contentious, with replays suggesting it should have been a goal-kick. From Daichi Kamada’s inswinger, Ryan Gravenberch, under pressure from Marc Guehi, miscued his header and the ball dropped for Sarr to sweep home his third goal in as many games against Liverpool.

The champions were rattled and needed Alisson at his defiant best. The Brazilian scooped Daniel Muñoz’s effort off the line, denied Yeremy Pino, then stood tall to thwart Jean-Philippe Mateta in a one‑on‑one, while the French striker also curled against the inside of a post after a flowing move begun by Maxence Lacroix. Palace’s first-half command was only briefly interrupted when Dean Henderson reacted superbly to tip Gravenberch’s piledriver onto the frame of the goal. A medical emergency in the stands paused play for several minutes, adding to first-half stoppage time, but the Selhurst roar barely dimmed.

Slot’s reshuffle sparks a response

Arne Slot changed the picture at the break, withdrawing Conor Bradley for Cody Gakpo, pushing Dominik Szoboszlai to right-back and moving Florian Wirtz into his preferred central pocket. The tweak helped Liverpool gain territory and coherence. Wirtz released Gakpo for a skidding effort not far wide before the German ghosted onto a Szoboszlai cross only to flick tamely at Henderson from close range.

Alexander Isak, Liverpool’s record £125m signing on his first Premier League start, wriggled into the box with only Henderson to beat but dragged wide as Palace’s defence bent without breaking. As Liverpool camped high, Selhurst Park answered with equal fervour, sensing their side would need resilience as much as invention to survive the push.

Parity, controversy and the final twist

Liverpool’s late-goal habit flickered again on 87 minutes when Gravenberch’s cross was not cleared by Chris Richards and substitute Federico Chiesa slammed in from close range to extend the Reds’ scoring run to 39 league games. There were questions about a potential handball by Mohamed Salah in the scramble, a debate that felt like an echo of the contentious corner before Palace’s opener.

But it was Palace who found the final word. A long throw was recycled into the danger area, Guehi rose to glance a telling flick, and Nketiah—alive at the far post—chested and finished. After a nail‑biting VAR check, the goal stood, with Gravenberch’s trailing foot playing the striker onside. The eruption around Selhurst told its own story.

Set-pieces, spine and stakes

Oliver Glasner’s side fused structure and punch. Their work on restarts again paid off—both goals arrived after dead‑ball situations—and their spine looked formidable: Henderson authoritative behind a superb Guehi, Adam Wharton knitting midfield, and a thrilling front line in which Mateta was erratic but constantly dangerous.

For Liverpool, the pattern was stark. They have lived on the edge all season, often saved by late strikes; here, their set‑piece frailty dragged them back. Ibrahima Konaté endured a bruising afternoon, while Wirtz and Isak, lavish summer additions, offered flashes but not the finish.

Managers’ verdicts and what comes next

“We can only blame ourselves by defending the way we did,” said Slot, lamenting the winner: “One of our players decided to run out because he wanted to play a counter-attack… it was only about defending. We have to be better from set pieces if you want to be up there.” He admitted Palace’s first-half plan caused “a lot of problems.”

Glasner called the opening 45 minutes “the best half since I arrived,” praising his side’s resilience under second-half pressure and insisting no one would get carried away. Palace now turn to a first European trip against Dynamo Kyiv in the Conference League before visiting Everton, while Liverpool head to Galatasaray in the Champions League and then Chelsea in the league.