Liverpool’s Carabao Cup journey came to an abrupt end on Wednesday night as Crystal Palace stormed to a commanding 3–0 victory at Anfield. A heavily rotated Reds side looked disjointed and paid the price, with Ismaila Sarr’s first-half brace and Yeremy Pino’s late strike sending Arne Slot’s team tumbling out of the competition.
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Sarr Double Sinks Disjointed Reds
With 10 changes from the weekend defeat to Brentford, Slot handed competitive debuts to goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and young forward Kieran Morrison, while Calvin Ramsay made his first senior appearance since 2022. Captain Andy Robertson was the lone veteran presence in a youthful starting XI.
Liverpool started brightly, moving the ball sharply and creating early openings through Rio Ngumoha, who looked lively down the left flank. The academy star cut inside to test the Palace back line and later came close with a curling effort that drifted just wide.
Federico Chiesa forced visiting goalkeeper Walter Benítez into a smart save midway through the first half, but Liverpool failed to capitalize on their early possession.
Palace, disciplined and efficient, took control just before half-time. In the 41st minute, Daichi Kamada’s lofted pass into the box was partially cut out by Joe Gomez, but the loose ball fell kindly for Ismaila Sarr, who calmly slotted home from close range.
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Four minutes later, Sarr struck again — this time combining brilliantly with Yeremy Pino to carve open the Liverpool defence before finishing coolly past Woodman for 2–0.
Second-Half Struggles and Nallo’s Red Card
Liverpool showed flashes of intent after the restart but never truly threatened to mount a comeback. Palace substitute Jean-Philippe Mateta added pace and power to the visitors’ attack, forcing Andy Robertson into a vital intervention on the hour mark.
Slot introduced more youth from the bench, including Wellity Lucky for his senior debut and Amara Nallo, but the changes failed to shift momentum.
Any faint hopes of a revival were crushed 11 minutes from time when Nallo was shown a straight red card for bringing down Justin Devenny as the Palace midfielder broke clear on goal.
With Liverpool down to ten men, Yeremy Pino completed the rout in the 88th minute, capitalizing on a midfield turnover before steering a low shot beyond Woodman to seal an emphatic victory for Keith Andrews’ side.
A Night to Forget for Slot’s Side
It was a humbling evening for Arne Slot, whose much-changed lineup struggled for rhythm or creativity. The Reds have now suffered back-to-back defeats following their 3–2 league loss at Brentford — and concerns will grow over the squad’s depth and defensive fragility.
Palace, meanwhile, advance confidently to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, marking another impressive milestone in what has been a quietly excellent season under Andrews.
For Liverpool, the focus now shifts back to the Premier League, where they face Aston Villa at Anfield this weekend — a must-win fixture to lift the mood after a bruising cup exit.
Final Score: Liverpool 0–3 Crystal Palace
Goals: Sarr (41’, 45’), Pino (88’)
Red Card: Nallo (79’, Liverpool)
Attendance: 60,420
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