Kick-off: 19:45 GMT, Wednesday 29 October 2025
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool return to Anfield with more than a cup quarter-final berth on the line. After a bruising league run that has raised awkward questions about structure, control and confidence, the Carabao Cup offers Arne Slot a badly needed reset. The catch? Crystal Palace have already bloodied Liverpool’s nose twice this season and arrive with a clear, repeatable plan that has troubled the champions.
Pressure under the lights
Four straight league defeats have turned the microscope onto Liverpool’s defensive spacing and transitions. Slot’s side still manufacture chances, but the balance between front-foot aggression and rest defence has faltered. Palace, by contrast, have been comfortable playing without the ball, striking through quick wide releases and early entries into the channels. Their Community Shield shootout win set the tone; the stoppage-time league victory at Selhurst Park underlined it.
Back at home, where rhythm usually returns, Liverpool need something simple and reliable: a clean structure, cleaner first passes and a performance that feels like a step forward rather than another frantic shootout.
Team news and selection puzzles
Liverpool’s room to rotate is tighter than Slot would prefer. Curtis Jones came off with a knock at Brentford and will be assessed. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexander Isak have been nursing issues, while Alisson and Jeremie Frimpong remain sidelined; young centre-back Giovanni Leoni is out long term. That cluster of absences nudges selection towards familiar lieutenants and could keep the spine relatively intact.
Palace have juggled their own niggles this autumn, but the template won’t change: compact mid-block, aggressive counter-press triggers, and direct outlets to stretch Liverpool’s back line. Whether Oliver Glasner freshens his XI or not, the principles remain the same.
Tactical outlook
Liverpool in possession: Expect Liverpool to build a little more patiently than in recent league outings. The first pass out—particularly into the No.6—has been targeted by opponents, so the hosts may favour full-back involvement and third-man combinations to escape the initial press. If Liverpool get their distances right, they can pin Palace back and work the byline for cut-backs rather than forcing central entries.
Palace without the ball: The visitors are happy to deny central progression, invite the switch, then pounce on loose touches. Their threat comes when the first regain is played forward early: diagonal balls into the outside channels, runners crossing the face of centre-backs, and a second wave arriving at the edge. Liverpool’s counter-press needs to bite; if it doesn’t, Palace’s transitions will.
Set plays: Another lever for the visitors. Liverpool have conceded too many “second-phase” looks recently—won headers that fall to free edge-of-box shooters or recycled crosses against a disorganised block. Expect Palace to crowd the six-yard line and isolate a back-post mismatch.
Key battles
- Left Liverpool channel vs Palace’s right-sided runner: When Liverpool’s left-back steps into midfield or overlaps, space opens behind. Palace will try to spring that pocket with early diagonals and inside-out runs. The covering midfielder’s positioning is vital.
- Second balls in midfield: Palace don’t need long strings of passes to be dangerous—just the first duel. If Liverpool can secure those scraps and keep Palace running back to their own goal, the territory battle swings.
- Box control vs crosses: For all of Liverpool’s attacking volume, their best moments arrive when they resist panic crosses and instead work one more pass for a cut-back. Patience over hopeful service will decide the quality of chances.
What Liverpool need to change
- Rest defence discipline. Keep at least two behind the ball and one screening when both full-backs go.
- Cleaner exit lines. Avoid being trapped centrally on first phase; use rotations to hit the free side.
- Repeatable chance creation. Prioritise low, pulled cut-backs over floated crosses.
What Palace will try to repeat
- Compact mid-block. Show Liverpool into crowded areas, then spring.
- Fast diagonals on regain. Attack the space behind advanced full-backs.
- Set-piece pressure. Target second phases and duels at the back post.
Predicted flow
The opening half-hour should be cagey: Liverpool probing, Palace content to hold shape and threaten through quick breaks. If the hosts score first, the game tilts towards a more controlled, lower-scoring contest. If Palace strike early, Anfield anxiety grows and the tie becomes more transitional and corner-heavy.
Betting angles
- Liverpool to Win & Under 3.5 Goals — A pragmatic Liverpool can edge a controlled cup tie without turning it into a shootout.
- Half-Time Result: Draw — Palace’s organisation plus Liverpool’s risk management points to a tight first 45.
- Over 9.5 Corners — Territory should belong to Liverpool; Palace’s block-and-break style concedes corners.
Verdict
Liverpool won’t care how pretty this is—only that it recalibrates the season. Expect a response built on control, not chaos. Palace will carry their usual threat on turnovers and dead balls, but if Liverpool manage the rest defence and keep their shot quality high with cut-backs rather than hopeful deliveries, a narrow home win feels the likeliest outcome.
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