Liverpool's Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace has laid bare a major flaw in their transfer window as Alexander Isak continues to be pursued over a position that's desperately needed
18:46, 10 Aug 2025
Jeremy Cross
Jeremy joined the Daily Star in 2010 as Manchester football correspondent and for more than a decade has served as our Chief Sports Writer. He provides expert coverage on Manchester United and Manchester City, the Premier League as a whole, and the England football team. Jeremy has covered football, rugby and cricket World Cups, as well as Wimbledon, the golf majors and the Olympics.
Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak is keen on a move to Liverpool
Turning a team into football's equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters is all well and good.
But even the American basketball legends had to defend at times. Which is what Liverpool failed to do in the Community Shield. Someone once famously said that attacks win games, but defences win titles and that person was right.
This game was a microcosm of such a fact. Twice Liverpool went ahead. But twice Crystal Palace came back, after Liverpool's back line let themselves down before going on to win on penalties.
First it was Virgil Van Dijk, of all people, making a needless mistake inside his own box to allow Jean-Phillipe Mateta to equalise from the spot before half-time. Then Ismaila Sarr waltzed through the Liverpool defence to make it 2-2 with 13 minutes remaining. Before Sarr's leveller, he had come within a whisker of scoring when Palace had opened up their rivals.
While Mateta fluffed a chance to put Palace ahead in the closing minutes, and substitute Justin Devenny shot agonisingly wide with the last kick of the game.
Arne Slot
Arne Slot should sign a world class defender
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Liverpool had their own chances, it has to be said. But it was events at the opposite end which should concern Arne Slot the most because Liverpool continued to present Palace with lifelines.
The Reds have been lauded for a summer of transfer business which has threatened to send a shiver down the spines of all their rivals.
Some big names left Anfield during the close season, including Trent-Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz. But these won't be missed, because some even bigger ones have arrived to replace them. Like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike.
All four were handed their first starts in a competitive game. No wonder Palace boss Oliver Glasner decided to go with a five man defence.
But it made little difference, considering it took Slot's side less than four minutes to breach the Palace backline and it was two of Slot's new recruits who combined, in the shape of Wirtz and Ekitike, for the latter to fire Liverpool ahead.
Ekitike, who cost up to £79m, cupped his hand to his mouth, no doubt referencing all the noise surrounding his club's attempts to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 10: Justin Devenny of Crystal Palace celebrates with teammates after he scores the winning penalty during the penalty shootout during the 2025 FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on August 10, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Justin Devenny scored the winning penalty(Image: Marc Atkins, Getty Images)
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He had a point. Because if Liverpool do end up signing Isak, the rest of the Premier League might as well pack in and go home. But do Liverpool even need Isak? Ekitike doesn't think so, that's for sure.
While anyone who watched Liverpool going forward here, will be inclined to agree with him. But Sarr's equaliser surprised no-one, because Palace had been on top when it arrived.
Isak is desperate to join Liverpool, who have had a bid of £110m turned down but the desperation from Liverpool's side of the fence should be to invest this amount in a world class defender instead of a striker who will add to the bloated cast of forwards and attack-minded players already at Anfield.
Liverpool were harder to beat last season because Slot made them tighter at the back and it helped them win a 20th league title but he's nailed his colours to the mast, considering who has signed and still wants to sign.
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Kevin Keegan tried this once when managing Newcastle and look how that turned out.