A dramatic night unfolded in English football, where Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool each wrote vastly different stories in the League Cup fourth round. Crickex Affiliate Portal covered how Arsenal extended their winning streak to eight matches, City showed character with a comeback triumph, while Liverpool endured a humiliating 0-3 defeat at home to Crystal Palace. The defending Premier League champions, once feared for their intensity, now look like a team out of sync and running out of answers under Arne Slot.
At Anfield, Liverpool’s struggles were on full display. Crickex Affiliate reports described how Slot’s decision to rotate heavily backfired, with key figures such as Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Hugo Ekitike all missing from the lineup. Lacking both leadership and rhythm, the home side looked flat from the start, while Palace approached the game with sharp focus and full strength. Early chances came and went—Ngomouha’s powerful shot flew over the bar, and Chiesa’s close-range effort missed narrowly. Those wasted moments foreshadowed the disaster that would follow.
By the 41st minute, Palace broke through when Kamada Daichi’s clearance error allowed Ismaïla Sarr to score. Four minutes later, Sarr linked up with Yeremy Pino, who calmly slotted in a second goal to silence Anfield. The crowd’s disbelief mirrored the manager’s frustration. Sarr, who has scored in all three encounters this season, became Liverpool’s recurring nightmare. Slot’s expression on the touchline told the story of a coach struggling to find answers as his players drifted out of form.
The second half offered no redemption. Even after three substitutions at the 68th minute, Liverpool remained toothless in attack. Palace, disciplined and confident, controlled the tempo with ease. Near full-time, Pino struck again to make it 3-0, completing his brace and delivering Palace’s biggest-ever win over Liverpool. For the Reds, it was a crushing defeat—their sixth loss in seven matches—leaving morale in ruins and pressure mounting on Slot.
Meanwhile, Arsenal continued to shine with a composed 2-0 victory over Brighton, marking their eighth straight win under Mikel Arteta. Manchester City also impressed, defeating Swansea 3-1 and extending their unbeaten streak against the Welsh side to seven games. As Crickex Affiliate summarized, the contrast between the three English giants could not be starker—Arsenal and City are moving with purpose and confidence, while Liverpool’s downward spiral shows that even the strongest can fall when momentum is lost.