"Looked like a tractor out there""Worst player on the pitch" - Liverpool fans slam superstar for showing in Community Shield final loss to Palace

Fans online have slammed Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah after he struggled to make an impact in their 3-2 penalty shootout loss to Crystal Palace. Both sides were in action in the FA Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday, August 10.

The 2024-25 Premier League winners got off to an excellent start by breaking the deadlock in the fourth minute through Hugo Ekitike. The striker received a pass from Florian Wirtz and directed his effort into the back of the net.

In the 15th minute, Virgil van Dijk brought down Ismaila Sarr in the penalty box and Crystal Palace were awarded a spot-kick. Jean-Philippe Mateta converted from the spot to draw level (1-1) for the Eagles two minutes later.

Jeremie Frimpong chipped his effort beyond the reach of Dean Henderson to restore Liverpool's lead in the 21st minute. However, Sarr rifled his shot into the back of the net to make the scoreline even (2-2) in the 77th minute.

Despite their late push, the Reds were unable to score the winning goal, and the game headed for a penalty shootout after the regulation time. However, Salah was one of the Reds players who missed their spot-kick as Palace secured a 3-2 win during the shootout.

Salah started as a right-winger, playing the entire 90 minutes of the encounter. Meanwhile, he registered one shot on target, failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles (0/1), and lost possession of the ball 12 times (via Sofascore).

The right-winger also failed to threaten Crystal Palace's defense and was inefficient in attack. In the game's aftermath, fans criticized his performance, with one tweeting:

How did Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk perform against Crystal Palace?

Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 2025 FA Community Shield - Source: Getty

In the Community Shield against the Eagles, Van Dijk struggled to impact in defense. He also failed to organize the backline as widely expected and gave away a penalty.

In 90 minutes on the pitch, the skipper made three interceptions, but failed to win any of the two ground duels he contested. He also lost possession of the ball 10 times (via Sofascore). Van Dijk will be hoping to improve, considering that he's a vital player for Arne Slot in the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Liverpool will begin their Premier League title defense at Anfield against Bournemouth on August 15.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Aditya Singh