Liverpool’s hopes for clinching the Premier League title suffered a significant setback as they endured a 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Anfield.
The Reds displayed a fatigued and sluggish performance, missing several key opportunities and succumbing to their first home defeat in the top flight this season.
They now trail Manchester City by two points with six games remaining and risk falling four points behind Arsenal if Arsenal defeat Aston Villa.
Jurgen Klopp’s squad has few excuses for their performance, with their campaign now in danger of collapse, compounded by their looming exit from the Europa League.
Liverpool appeared weary from the onset, conceding for the 23rd time this season across all competitions when Palace’s Eberechi Eze calmly slotted home in the 15th minute.
Moments later, a defensive error by Virgil van Dijk nearly allowed Palace to extend their lead, only for Andy Robertson’s heroic goal-line clearance to keep Liverpool in contention.
Despite showing glimpses of promise, particularly with Wataru Endo’s strike hitting the crossbar and Luis Diaz being denied by Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson, Liverpool lacked the necessary composure in the final third.
Second-half opportunities, including Darwin Nunez’s close-range effort and Diogo Jota’s blocked shot, highlighted their continued struggles.
A late scare ensued for Liverpool when Alisson Becker was forced into action to deny Mateta, and a golden opportunity to equalize was squandered by Curtis Jones in the dying minutes of the game.
Mohamed Salah’s late attempt was thwarted by a crucial block from Tyrick Mitchell, encapsulating Liverpool’s frustrating lack of cutting edge throughout the match.
Individual player performances varied, with Alisson Becker making crucial saves but also contributing to Palace’s opener with a poor pass.
Andy Robertson stood out as one of the few Liverpool players to maintain a high level of performance, exemplified by his goal-line clearance.
Conor Bradley struggled to make an impact before being substituted due to injury shortly after the interval.
Overall, Liverpool’s defeat to Crystal Palace underscores their waning title aspirations and emphasizes the need for significant improvement in their remaining fixtures.