Arne Slot has lost again at Wembley after Crystal Palace lifted the Community Shield in a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win against Liverpool, following a 2-2 draw.
Hugo Ekitike found the back of the net after 4 minutes to open his Liverpool account, linking up with fellow new arrival Florian Wirtz.
Then, Virgil van Dijk produced a moment of madness, bringing down Ismaila Sarr in the 15th minute in a rather uncharacteristically clumsy challenge, with Chris Kavanagh pointing to the spot.
Jean Philippe-Mateta converted the resulting spot-kick to equalise for Crystal Palace, with Tyrick Mitchell spurning a golden opportunity to give his side the lead minutes later.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 2025 FA Community Shield
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
The 25-year-old’s miss would prove costly for the Eagles as Liverpool raced up the other end and Jeremie Frimpong’s cross caught Dean Henderson flat-footed and found the back of the net, restoring the Premier League champions’ lead.
After a quiet second half, Adam Wharton stepped up and split the Liverpool defence, sending Ismaila Sarr through on goal and the forward slotted past Alisson for Palace’s second equaliser of the day.
However, Mohamed Salah, Alexis Mac Allister, and Harvey Elliott missed decisive spot-kicks as Crystal Palace were crowned victors on the day.
Liverpool player ratings vs Crystal Palace
Alisson – 6
The Brazilian was tested only once at Wembley – when Mateta sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot. Excluding the penalty, Alisson enjoyed a relatively straightforward afternoon.
Jeremie Frimpong – 6
Whether he meant it or not, it doesn’t matter to Frimpong, who will be delighted to score his first Liverpool goal at Wembley, as he sends a strong message to the injured Conor Bradley.
Ibrahima Konate – 5
He remained unnoticed for large parts of the clash, clearing anything that came his way, but ultimately, his defensive unit did concede twice on the day.
Virgil van Dijk – 3
Van Dijk’s blushes were spared after Mateta’s equaliser lasted only three minutes until Liverpool restored their lead at Wembley. The captain’s challenge was rash, but a clear penalty, and he was caught out of position as Sarr ran through for the second equaliser.
Milos Kerkez – 6
The Hungarian kicked off the move, which led to Ekitike finding the back of the net, but the attacking influence he showed at Bournemouth was neutralised by the opposition.
Curtis Jones – 6
The Scouser got the nod to start at Wembley with Ryan Gravenberch missing via suspension, and he played his role perfectly in the middle of the park, helping to retain possession and keep the Reds ticking.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 6
The 24-year-old has looked revitalised in his new deeper role in the Liverpool midfield and deputised well for Alexis Mac Allister, producing a solid all-round performance.
Florian Wirtz – 8
An assist on debut is hopefully a sign of what is to come from Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt, as he caused problems for Crystal Palace and linked up well with Ekitike throughout.
Mohamed Salah – 4
The Egyptian produced a rare off-day at Wembley as he struggled to get going amongst the new-look Liverpool side. Salah registered only a single shot on goal and remained a passenger on the pitch. To make matters worse he missed the kick of the penalty shootout.
Liverpool v Athletic Club Bilbao - Pre-Season Friendly
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Hugo Ekitike – 8
The Frenchman couldn’t have asked for a better start to his competitive Reds debut as he showed the travelling Liverpool support what to expect this season – with expert link-up play and a well-taken finish to open the scoring.
Cody Gakpo – 5
Another Reds player who failed to have a significant influence on proceedings, Gakpo was non-existent at Wembley. The Dutchman also never looked likely to threaten the Palace defence.
Substitutes
Wataru Endo – 6
Endo picked up exactly where he left off last season, sticking to the basics and helping his teammates to win the midfield battle at Wembley.
Alexis Mac Allister – 5
The Argentine had a scare when VAR was forced to check whether the midfielder had conceded another Crystal Palace penalty for handball, but ultimately it was deemed not sufficient to award a spot-kick. Mac Allister also saw his penalty saved in the shootout.
Harvey Elliott – N/A
Andy Robertson – N/A