Darwin Núñez sent a message on his Premier League debut and has only added to Liverpool’s woes in this new campaign. The new £64million striker showed Anfield and rival defenders everywhere that he can easily rise to the challenge by picking up a straight red card and three-match ban for Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen. Núñez lost his head just when Liverpool needed him to use it wisely.
Just two games in but four points behind Manchester City, Liverpool’s start to the season has given Jürgen Klopp one headache after another. His team’s display against Palace was not one of the best on the list. Liverpool largely dominated against Patrick Vieira’s side and moved impressively after Núñez’s foolish loss of control, Luis Diaz equalizing in spectacular style after Wilfried Zaha’s first-half opener. But with injury problems showing no signs of abating and facing the punishing demands of a title challenge, the loss of the Uruguay international was heartbreaking for Klopp. Núñez is the first Liverpool player to be sent off for violent conduct during his tenure. Your manager needs you to learn from your mistake and learn quickly.
Liverpool pushed home a winner that would have sparked delirium inside Anfield, but Vieira’s determined side defended with clear heads and impressive spirit to end a run of 10 defeats against Klopp’s side. The visitors worked tirelessly with the ball and could have pinched the three points at the end through Zaha or Andersen.
There were further additions to Liverpool’s already extensive injury list ahead of their first home game of the season. Joël Matip joined fellow centre-back Ibrahima Konaté on the sidelines with a muscle injury and, with Joe Gomez only fit enough for the bench after a recent problem, Nat Phillips was handed his first Premier League start since May 2021. It was Phillips’ first outing in the side. He and Virgil van Dijk marked their return by winning two towering headers inside the first 14 seconds. Roberto Firmino was also absent.
Liverpool’s performance at Fulham improved immeasurably after Nunez’s introduction and began with an intensity and focus that was missing from the first half at Craven Cottage. The home side should have taken the lead after a minute when Palace keeper Vicente Guaita headed Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross past James Milner while under pressure from Liverpool’s new centre-forward. Milner reacted forcefully but skied a clear opening on Guaita’s goal.
Luis Diaz reacts after his sensational draw with Liverpool. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Núñez also missed a good chance after Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold stretched Palace with long, well-timed passes. Andersen managed to block Harvey Elliott’s goal-bound ball, giving Alexander-Arnold another opportunity to cross. He found Núñez unmarked at the back post but, perhaps surprised by Palace’s lack of header, the forward headed an awkward up-and-down volley.
Liverpool were keen to exploit the height of their new forward addition and regularly swept crosses in behind the Palace defender, but there was variety in their early dominance. Linking up between Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah ensured a grueling night for Tyrick Mitchell at left-back, while Núñez also showed an immediate and encouraging rapport with the Egypt international. The Uruguayan’s movement off the ball also impressed. For 57 minutes anyway.
Not only were Palace besieged for the opening half hour, but their struggle to keep possession or win any 50-50s led to Vieira’s distraction. Klopp’s irritation seemed trivial by comparison, the Liverpool manager turning to the crowd and putting a finger to his lips after they had encouraged a wildly ambitious Van Dijk shot from 30 yards. All this explained why the Palau’s breakthrough came as a shock.
The visitors barely had a chance to counter-attack through Zaha until Guaita received a clearance to Eberechi Eze in the Palau half. Eze controlled superbly, got away from Fabinho’s dubious challenge and released Zaha into acres of space behind Phillips. Palace’s lone striker waltzed into goal and beat Alisson with a clinical and powerful finish into the far corner.
Wilfried Zaha flicks the ball past Alisson Becker to put Crystal Palace ahead. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Zaha came close to doubling Palace’s impressive lead minutes later when Cheick Doucouré picked Liverpool’s central defense apart again. A strong first touch undermined the goalscorer’s prospects of repeating, however, and Alisson saved Zaha’s shot from close range. Vieira’s team had the good fortune to thank to keep the advantage until the break. The final act of the first half saw Elliott release Nunez inside the box with a delicious chip. As the striker lined up to shoot, Doucouré pounced on it with a crucial touch, deflecting the ball past his own keeper but against the far post.
Liverpool’s problems increased when Núñez saw red for a headbutt on Andersen. There had been trouble between the pair for some time and when the defender shoved Núñez in the back after an argument, the striker foolishly took the bait. He rammed his head into Anderson’s face, who collapsed in theatrical style, giving referee Paul Tierney no alternative but to issue a red card.
Anfield erupted with a misplaced sense of grievance and his team fed off the support. Four minutes after the dismissal, and three days after Klopp had backed Diaz to do well in front of goal, the Colombia international responded with a superb goal to set up a frenetic finish. Receiving the ball deflected down the left, Díaz weaved through five white shirts on the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a right-footed shot that flew past Guaita in the Palau goal.
Klopp shot up in front of the main stand, the relief palpable, but the first win of the season proved elusive. Zaha could have won it for Palace late on, but flicked Doucouré’s cross against the post from close range.