Arne Slot’s line-up gamble backfired as a much-changed Liverpool lost at home to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup last 16 – the Reds’ sixth defeat in seven games.
Slot named three teenagers in his starting line-up and a further five among his substitutes as he made 10 changes from the team that was beaten 3-2 at Brentford on Saturday.
But poor defending allowed Palace’s Ismaila Sarr to score twice in a four-minute spell at the end of the first half to take the game away from the hosts, before Yeremy Pino added a late third with a low curled finish.
With no-one older than 21 on the bench and first-team players Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike all absent, Liverpool made a tame exit in a competition they had won twice in the past four seasons.
Federico Chiesa, who scored in Liverpool’s loss to Newcastle in last season’s final in March, had two good opportunities but fired one attempt over with another saved by Walter Benitez.
An error from England defender Joe Gomez allowed Sarr to score the opener, before the Senegal attacker got his second soon after – having been given far too much space when collecting Pino’s pass.
Liverpool’s miserable evening then saw 18-year-old defender Amara Nallo shown a straight red card in the 79th minute for hauling down Justin Devenny who was racing through on goal. Pino’s third sealed a convincing win for the Eagles.
Wednesday’s loss continues a dismal run of form for the Premier League champions – who have a tough run of games coming up.
They host Aston Villa in the league on Saturday, Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday and then travel to Manchester City on Sunday, 9 November.
Palace will play at Arsenal in the quarter-final, with the tie to be played in the week commencing 15 December.
