Crystal Palace welcome Liverpool to Selhurst Park on Sunday with Pierre Sage’s side under severe pressure after three consecutive defeats without scoring. The 9-0 aggregate scoreline has left the Eagles in the bottom three, while they have conceded more goals than any other top-flight team.
Palace’s latest setback against Tottenham was shaped by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s dismissal after only 13 minutes. They were heavily outplayed after that moment, recording two shots to Tottenham’s 34, just two touches in the opposition penalty area compared with 67 for Spurs, and only 21% possession. Their expected-goals figures also showed the imbalance, with Palace registering 0.14 compared with Tottenham’s 3.26.
The wider numbers make for similarly difficult reading. Across 2026, Palace have lost 15 matches and conceded 52 goals, both league highs among teams that have remained in the top flight throughout the period. They have also recorded only six victories and scored 29 goals, figures that are jointly the lowest in those categories. Palace have faced 79 more shots than they have taken this season, the largest difference in the Premier League.
One weakness Liverpool may look to exploit is Palace’s defending from set-piece deliveries and crosses. Tottenham’s two headed goals took the Eagles’ total for goals conceded by header to six, twice the tally of any other side in the division.
There is at least a more positive recent trend in this fixture. Palace lost 10 successive top-flight meetings with Liverpool before losing only three of their last eight encounters. One of last season’s four meetings also brought Palace a home league victory over the Reds, their first at Selhurst Park against Liverpool since 2014.
Liverpool arrive after two defeats of their own, but their away form has been considerably stronger than their home record. They have collected 10 points on the road, with only Arsenal taking more away points, and 67% of their total has come from away fixtures. That will make Sunday’s challenge even greater for a Palace side seeking an immediate response to their recent defensive troubles.
