Liverpool snapped a two-game losing streak across all competitions by securing a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Sunday. This result intensified the pressure on Palace’s manager, Pierre Sage, as his side suffered their fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League, dropping to the bottom of the table.
The opening goal arrived just before halftime when Alexis Mac Allister put Liverpool ahead in the 40th minute. The visitors extended their lead early in the second half, with midfielder Florian Wirtz doubling the advantage nine minutes after the break. The final nail in the coffin came late, as striker Alexander Isak sealed the win with an 89th-minute strike.
Controversial Penalty Clouds Liverpool’s Clean Sheet
Despite Liverpool’s commanding performance, Crystal Palace managed to reduce the deficit deep into stoppage time through a penalty converted by Eddie Nketiah. The penalty decision sparked debate, as it was awarded following a contested aerial challenge between Liverpool’s left back Milos Kerkez and Palace forward Dario Osorio.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola expressed his frustration after the match, criticizing the inconsistency of penalty calls in the game. Speaking to Sky Sports, Iraola lamented the decision, highlighting a perceived discrepancy in how penalties were awarded in different areas of the pitch. “I am very upset because the ones in our box they are calling penalties and in the other box they are not,” he said.
He further elaborated on the incident, emphasizing the repeated use of VAR and the extensive review process, which lasted several minutes with multiple replays. Iraola suggested that VAR appeared to be finding ways to overturn certain decisions, which affected Liverpool’s chance to keep a clean sheet. “A clean sheet is not cheap in the Premier League and we wanted to win 3-0,” he added.
“It is not just because of this penalty, it’s because of a lot of things,” Iraola concluded, reflecting his broader dissatisfaction with officiating decisions during the game.