Liverpool’s performance in Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace at Anfield was their most inefficient in the Premier League to date.
Following a recent 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the Europa League, the Reds were unable to capitalize on their opportunities, resulting in a 1-0 defeat at home.
Despite several chances from Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Curtis Jones, and Mohamed Salah, Palace managed to secure a victory, marking their first win against Liverpool since 2017. This loss leaves Jurgen Klopp’s team in third place, trailing leaders Manchester City by two points with six games remaining.
Liverpool will need to analyze their performance after suffering a defeat in a Premier League home game for the first time since October 2022.
They struggled to convert their chances in front of goal, evident by their high expected goals (xG) total of 2.87, the highest in a Premier League game where they failed to score since the statistic was first recorded in 2010-11.
This figure also represents the highest xG total for a team that did not score in a Premier League match since Brighton & Hove Albion’s encounter with Norwich City in April 2022, where both teams ended with an xG total of 2.87 in a goalless draw.
While Liverpool’s inefficiency in front of goal has been widely discussed, they are also troubled by their recent vulnerability in defense. The team has conceded in each of their last nine competitive matches, following a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Furthermore, they have been unable to keep a clean sheet in any of their last nine home league games, matching their previous longest streak in the Premier League. This occurred during the 1996-97 and 1998-99 seasons. Liverpool is well aware that they must exhibit a solid defensive performance if they hope to overcome a three-goal deficit in the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Atalanta in Bergamo on Thursday.