Crystal Palace exploit flaws in new-look Liverpool to win Community Shield on penalties | OneFootball

Glad all over again. For the second time in a summer, Crystal Palace came to Wembley, fearlessly took on one of the superpowers and made off with silverware, aided by Dean Henderson’s excellence at saving penalties. It was not even the best day of their 2025, given their FA Cup triumph over Manchester City, but, if they are consigned to the Conference League by Uefa, European football’s governing body may note that Oliver Glasner’s trophy-gathering habit might mean they win it.

As they claimed their latest prize, Palace supplied a reminder that money cannot buy everything. A side shorn of signings in their starting XI beat one furnished with four expensive arrivals. For a while it seemed as though Hugo Ekitike would be the match-winner on his competitive Liverpool debut, then that Jeremie Frimpong would. Instead, the decisive kick of the ball came from the unheralded Justin Devenny. Formerly of Airdrie, perhaps only sent on because Marc Guehi had cramp, the Northern Ireland international midfielder almost delivered a 95th-minute winner, then converted the winning penalty in the shootout.

There was a contrast between Devenny, coolly lifting his penalty over Alisson, and Mohamed Salah, blazing his over the bar, as he had against Athletic Bilbao on Monday. There was Henderson, doffing his cap when he saved a penalty from Alexis Mac Allister, repeating the feat, if not the celebration, when he denied Harvey Elliott.

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Dean Henderson was Palace’s shootout hero (PA)

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Justin Devenny scores Palace’s winning penalty (AFP via Getty Images)

And for Liverpool, in the midst of one of the biggest summer spending sprees in Premier League history, the auspicious starts for three of their four newcomers still only yielded the wrong colour medal. The fourth debutant, Milos Kerkez, made a different sort of mark; he struggled to contain Ismaila Sarr, whose equaliser ultimately took the game to penalties.

For Liverpool, who exited the Champions League on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain, who were beaten at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final, there were sequels of sorts to last season, even amid the encouraging glimpses of a new team being forged.

For Ekitike, the £69m striker, there was a goal inside four minutes in his first meaningful match. For Florian Wirtz, the £100m creator, an assist just as quickly. For Frimpong, the £30m right-back charged with replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, there was a Wembley goal on debut, whether or not he meant it.

At the end, though, there was a reminder that Palace can be redoubtable opponents; they twice dragged themselves back into the game. Jean-Philippe Mateta, who scored spot kicks in both the match and the shootout, levelled the first time after Virgil van Dijk tripped Sarr. The Liverpool captain had missed the Bilbao games with illness and showed signs of rustiness on his return. Then Sarr escaped behind Kerkez for his goal and the early cause for concern may be that, terrific as Liverpool looked going forward, there were signs of frailty at the back. A defender who had been linked with joining their summer influx, Guehi, instead lifted the Community Shield for Palace.

Liverpool could at least savour the way it started. The first half produced two goals and an assist for the newcomers from an outlay approaching £300m.

Ekitike made a flying start and hinted at brilliance. He took Wirtz’s pass, angling a shot from 18 yards into the far corner of Henderson’s goal. A forward who was not always clinical for Eintracht Frankfurt last season could have had a hat-trick but headed wide from perhaps four yards and shot past the post from eight. Nevertheless, Liverpool could derive optimism from the way he combined with Wirtz; there were signs of chemistry. Slot’s new-look team have the potential to be potent.

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Hugo Ekitike celebrates after giving Liverpool an early lead (Getty Images)

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Jeremie Frimpong scores Liverpool’s second of the game (The FA via Getty Images)

Indeed, the head coach has even signed a prolific right-back. The question of whether goals in Germany would translate into as many in England was rarely posed for full-backs but Frimpong was a regular scorer for Bayer Leverkusen. He seemed to surprise himself as he opened his Liverpool account. His goal was audacious if intended, though his expression suggested not, a chip over Henderson from an acute angle nestled in the net.

At which point, it was shaping up as a triumph for Liverpool’s recruitment team. Yet if Glasner has been frustrated by Palace’s lack of business, his side have an understanding to accompany their determination. Liverpool are adjusting to new personnel and roles. Maybe they missed Ryan Gravenberch, absent as he is about to become a parent. Dominik Szoboszlai, deployed deeper, played a couple of lovely cross-field passes but, with Wirtz a less powerful No 10, they may not have protected the defence as well. Slot resorted to sending on Wataru Endo to try and shore up the midfield, Andy Robertson for Kerkez.

But Palace kept coming. There was the rarity of a booking for Salah for dragging back Eberechi Eze. It was a symbolic moment, showing who had the momentum at the end. And after Henderson’s heroics and Devenny’s dramatic cameo, Palace had the trophy as well. Another one.