Crystal Palace 2-1 Liverpool: Nketiah snaps champions´ perfect start with dramatic winner

Eddie Nketiah scored a dramatic, 97th-minute winner as Crystal Palace ended Liverpool’s perfect start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park.

Oliver Glasner’s in-form Eagles went ahead through Ismaila Sarr’s ninth-minute strike, after an in-swinging corner deflected into his path.

And they could have put the game to bed in the first half, if not for a brilliant display from Alisson.

The Brazil goalkeeper denied Yeremy Pino, Daniel Munoz and Jean-Philippe Mateta, who also struck the woodwork in an impressive first half from the hosts.

But Liverpool grew in confidence in the second period, with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak both missing good chances before substitute Federico Chiesa – who also scored late on against Bournemouth on the first day of the season – equalised in the 87th minute.

However, there was to be one final twist as Palace substitute Nketiah volleyed home after the ball was flicked into his path by former Liverpool target Marc Guehi, with the goal surviving a VAR check for a possible offside to spark wild celebrations from Glasner’s bench.

While Arne Slot’s champions remain top of the table with 15 points, Palace are just three points behind them in second, boasting the only remaining unbeaten record.

18 games unbeaten.
Statement made. pic.twitter.com/4WPSq6vwFd

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 27, 2025

Data Debrief: Liverpool get a taste of their own medicine

Although Liverpool stepped up their performance in the second half, Palace were largely deserving of Saturday’s win.

The Eagles produced 2.45 expected goals (xG) from 16 shots, with 1.6 of that total coming in the first half, compared to Liverpool’s 2.25 xG from 20 attempts.

After scoring so many late winners of their own, Liverpool were on the receiving end of one.

Timed at 96:59, Nketiah netted both the latest winning goal on record (from 2006-07) by Palace in the Premier League and the latest winner conceded by Liverpool in the competition.

Palace also extended their unbeaten run to 18 games in all competitions (W8 D10), their joint-longest ever as a Football League club (also 18 from February to August 1969).