Crystal Palace continue to haunt Liverpool, and that might be the least of Arne Slot’s concerns should his decision to field a weakened team in the Carabao Cup fail to pay dividends in the coming days at Anfield.
Oliver Glasner’s FA Cup and Community Shield winners eased into the League Cup quarter-finals courtesy of a first-half double from Liverpool’s tormentor-in-chief Ismaïla Sarr. The Senegal international made it seven goals in nine appearances against Liverpool as Palace made it three wins in 80 days over Slot’s team.
The Liverpool head coach made 10 changes for the fourth round tie but this Palace team are simply too streetwise, too well-drilled and too talented to be treated so lightly. A sixth defeat in seven games, a heavy one at that, was the almost inevitable outcome for Liverpool. A late red card for substitute Amara Nallo and an 88th-minute strike from the excellent Yéremy Pino increased the punishment for the hosts.
The priority for Slot was clearly Aston Villa’s visit in the Premier League on Saturday as he gave the majority of the senior squad the night off and more time preparing on the training ground. His risk was not so much the starting line-up, a typical mix for this stage of the competition of youth and experience, but having no insurance policies whatsoever on the bench.
