Palace hold Liverpool on Anfield celebration day
Liverpool 1 - 1 Crystal Palace
Liverpool brought the curtain down on a memorable title-winning season with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace.
Author | William G
Stadium | Anfield
Salah’s 84th-minute strike not only earned a share of the spoils, it also sealed his Golden Boot triumph and saw him equal the Premier League record for goal involvements in a single season. His final tally of 29 goals and 18 assists underlined his enduring brilliance in front of goal.
With the title already secured following their emphatic 5-1 victory over Tottenham on 27 April, Arne Slot’s side were able to enjoy the final weeks of the campaign with the pressure off. Sunday's clash at Anfield, played in a carnival atmosphere, provided the chance for fans to savour the achievement.
Palace, fresh from lifting the FA Cup a week earlier, were given a guard of honour by the Liverpool players before kick-off in a gesture that was warmly received by both sets of supporters. In return, the Eagles returned the favour, acknowledging the Reds' title win in a show of mutual respect.
A closer look at what happened at Anfield
While Liverpool supporters may have been expecting a comfortable send-off, Crystal Palace had other ideas. The visitors struck first when Conor Bradley lost the ball in a dangerous area, allowing Tyrick Mitchell to set up Ismaila Sarr, who calmly slotted past Alisson.
READ MORE | How Liverpool won the league
Liverpool responded with intent but were repeatedly thwarted by Dean Henderson, who produced a string of outstanding saves. His best came when he denied Luis Díaz in a one-on-one shortly before half-time.
Trent Alexander-Arnold was brought on at the break for what is expected to be his final appearance in a Liverpool shirt. Having been met with boos in recent weeks due to the impending move away from his boyhood club, the full-back received a rousing reception as he emerged for the second half.
However, Liverpool’s task was made harder when Ryan Gravenberch, a key figure in their title run, was sent off for a last-man foul on Daichi Kamada just beyond the halfway line, reducing the hosts to ten men for much of the second half.
Despite being a man down, the champions pressed for a leveller and were eventually rewarded. Salah reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box and fired home from close range, sparking celebrations around Anfield.
It was a fitting end to a historic season that saw Liverpool return to the summit of English football. With Arne Slot set to build on this success, and with Salah showing no signs of slowing down, Liverpool fans have every reason to look ahead with optimism.
