Liverpool 1–1 Crystal Palace: Player Ratings As Champions Held on Final Day

Mohamed Salah rescued a point for Liverpool late on. | IMAGO/Propaganda Photo

Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning campaign ended with a 1–1 draw against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.

The Reds welcomed Jürgen Klopp back to Anfield for the first time since he departed as the club’s manager last summer, with the German bearing witness to the rare sight of both teams giving each other a guard of honour—Palace for Liverpool’s Premier League title success and the Reds for Palace's maiden FA Cup win.

The party-like atmosphere was briefly silenced by Ismaïla Sarr’s ninth-minute strike, courtesy of a sloppy turnover that allowed Palace to pierce through Liverpool’s defence with one laser-like pass, and the Reds failed to get back on terms quickly despite Arne Slot picking a strong starting lineup.

Liverpool’s form, in part down to rotation, has fallen away since they were confirmed as Premier League champions, but they were kept at bay by Dean Henderson in Palace’s goal as they searched for an equaliser. Jean-Philippe Mateta also had the ball in Liverpool’s net for a second time, but his effort was chalked off for offside.

Substitute Darwin Núñez was brilliantly denied by Henderson in the second half, minutes before Ryan Gravenberch saw red for hauling down Daichi Kamada having already been cautioned.

But that didn’t stop Liverpool from hunting an equaliser, and after Diogo Jota had been denied by the post, Mohamed Salah was on hand to bag his 29th goal of the season—a figure that comfortably earned him the Premier League Golden Boot award.

Palace could have won it at the death, but Eddie Nketiah spurned his opportunity before Liverpool’s title celebrations promptly restarted ahead of the long-awaited trophy lift.