Liverpool’s season has started with so much fire, so much hope, and so much noise, but as the Reds prepare for their trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace, they find themselves walking into one of the trickiest games of the season carrying scars, doubts, and injuries that could change everything. Arne Slot has enjoyed a dream beginning to life in charge of Liverpool. Five wins in five Premier League games, victories in both the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, and the mood inside Anfield has been electric. But football has a cruel way of reminding even the strongest sides that nothing is ever smooth, nothing is ever certain, and sometimes the problems come all at once.
The clash against Palace is the first of three successive away matches for the Reds. It is a stretch that will define whether Slot’s men are serious title defenders or whether cracks will start to show. Selhurst Park has always been a place of danger for Liverpool, a ground that carries bad memories and haunting moments. It was there in 2014 that Liverpool’s title dreams under Brendan Rodgers collapsed on a miserable night now called “Crystanbul.” Even when the Reds are strong, Palace have a way of making life difficult. And this Palace side, unbeaten in 17 games across all competitions, are not just coming to take part. They are coming to fight, to challenge, and to show that they can bloody the nose of the champions.
The Eagles have already hurt Liverpool once this season. In the Community Shield at Wembley, Palace denied Liverpool another piece of silverware by holding Slot’s team to a 2-2 draw and then winning on penalties. That day, Ismaila Sarr danced past defenders, and Palace played with no fear. Liverpool may have walked away saying it was only a curtain-raiser, but deep down, that defeat cut them. It was a reminder that Palace are no longer just survivors in the Premier League—they are now hunters, a team that can chase trophies, a team that can beat the best.
And so this fixture, on Saturday at 15:00 BST, carries weight, carries history, and carries danger. Both teams have injuries, but Liverpool’s problems are heavier, crueler, and perhaps more decisive.
Eight players could miss this clash for Liverpool. That is not just a statistic; that is a nightmare for Arne Slot. Imagine preparing for a battle knowing that nearly a third of your squad could be unavailable. Imagine facing a team that is hungry, confident, and unbeaten, while you count the names of those who will not walk with you into war. That is Liverpool’s reality now.
The first and perhaps most frustrating absence is Hugo Ekitike. The French striker, brought in during the summer with so much excitement, was supposed to be the wild card, the forward who could give Liverpool an extra dimension. Against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, he showed exactly why the club signed him. He scored the winning goal, he celebrated with passion, and he looked like a player ready to announce himself on the biggest stage. But then, foolishly, recklessly, he ripped his shirt off in celebration, already on a yellow card, and the referee had no choice but to show him a second. A moment of joy turned into a punishment. And now, because of that decision, Ekitike will miss the Palace game. A one-match ban may seem small, but in a season where every point matters, it is huge. His absence forces Slot to rethink his attacking plan, to shuffle his pack once again.
Then comes the heartbreak of Giovanni Leoni. The Italian defender was the talk of Anfield only days ago. Signed from Parma for £26 million, he was considered one of Europe’s brightest young centre-backs. Slot gave him his debut against Southampton, and for 81 minutes, he was brilliant. Composed on the ball, strong in the tackle, quick across the ground—Leoni looked like the future. And then disaster struck. A collision, a twist, and suddenly he was on the ground clutching his knee, tears in his eyes, stretchered off as Anfield held its breath. The diagnosis is feared to be an ACL injury. While the scans will confirm the exact damage, Slot himself admitted that it looks serious, it looks long-term, and it looks cruel. Leoni may not play again this season. For an 18-year-old who had just begun his Liverpool journey, the pain is unimaginable. For the team, it is another problem in a position that was already thin.
Without Leoni, Liverpool are left with only Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Joe Gomez as their senior centre-back options. That is not enough for a team competing on four fronts. It leaves Slot with sleepless nights, knowing that one more injury could leave him with no choice but to throw midfielders like Wataru Endo or Ryan Gravenberch into defence. Against Palace, a side that thrives on pace and power in attack, that is a dangerous gamble.
And it does not stop there. Scans, doubts, niggles—all of it has clouded Liverpool’s preparation. Some players are still waiting for medical updates. Some are trying to train through pain. Others have been told to stop and rest. This uncertainty creates confusion, and confusion is the enemy of preparation.
Crystal Palace, too, have injuries, but their problems look lighter compared to Liverpool’s storm. Cheick Doucouré is still out with a long-term knee injury. Chadi Riad is also sidelined with a knee issue. Walter Benitez, their second-choice goalkeeper, will miss out with a dislocated finger. Caleb Kporha, the England youth international, has a back problem. Ismaila Sarr, however, is a doubt but could return. And if he does, Liverpool fans know the danger he brings. His pace, his finishing, and his ability to drag defenders out of position make him one of the most dangerous forwards in the league. Palace also wait on news of Yeremy Pino, their summer signing from Villarreal, who came off injured against West Ham and required a scan.
But the focus, the drama, and the headlines all belong to Liverpool. Eight potential absentees, and at a time when Slot needed strength, he finds himself patching holes, trusting youth, and praying for miracles.
What makes this worse is the context. Liverpool are defending champions. Every team wants to beat them. Every game feels like a cup final for the opponent. And yet, despite the injuries, despite the suspensions, Liverpool have been perfect so far—five wins from five in the league, top of the table, already through to the Carabao Cup fourth round, and strong in Europe. The momentum is there. The confidence is there. But football is fragile. One bad result, one slip, and questions will return. The Palace game is not just about three points. It is about keeping belief alive.
Arne Slot faces his first true test of crisis management. At Feyenoord, he proved himself as a tactical mastermind, but managing Liverpool is different. Every decision is magnified. Every selection is debated. Every dropped point is a storm. He must now show that he can lead not only when the sun is shining but also when the storm clouds gather. The fans believe in him, but belief is always conditional in football. Another injury, another defeat, and the narrative can change overnight.
The atmosphere at Selhurst Park will be ferocious. The Palace fans know this is their chance to strike. Liverpool arrive wounded, and wounded giants are sometimes the most dangerous, but they are also the most vulnerable. Slot will need his leaders—Van Dijk, Salah, Alisson—to step up, to guide the team, to silence the chaos.
For the young players, this could be the moment that defines their season. With Ekitike suspended and Leoni injured, others will be asked to step up. Will someone seize the moment? Will a new hero be born at Selhurst Park? That is the beauty of football. Out of pain can come glory. Out of absence can come opportunity.
But one thing is certain: this game will not be easy. Crystal Palace versus Liverpool has always carried drama, always carried scars, and always carried memories. Saturday will be no different. And as the Reds prepare to walk out in South London, they do so with eight shadows hanging over them, eight doubts, eight fears. The road to defending the title was never going to be simple. But this? This is Liverpool’s first true battle.
