The 2025-2026 Premier League season will officially kick off next weekend. Crystal Palace, last season’s FA Cup winners, played Liverpool, the current Premier League champions, in the Community Shield, the last warm-up game before the season.
The two teams fought to a 2-2 tie in normal time, but Palace won the penalty shootout 3-2, giving them a 5-4 aggregate win and their first Community Shield trophy.
Last season, Liverpool clinched the Premier League crown with 84 points, finishing 10 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal, while Crystal Palace shocked favorites Manchester City with a 1-0 win in the FA Cup final.
Premier League Champions vs FA Cup Winners
This summer, Liverpool underwent a major squad overhaul, investing €293.68 million to bring in several high-profile signings, while offloading seven players for a total of €196.3 million. Despite the sweeping changes, the team’s overall strength remains intact, with the explicit aim of defending their league title.
In contrast, Crystal Palace made minimal moves during the transfer window, retaining last season’s core lineup and banking on stability as their key strength.
On paper, Liverpool still appeared stronger. In their last four meetings, the Reds recorded two wins, one draw, and one loss, holding a slight edge.
Lightning Start, Liverpool Strike First
The match at Wembley Stadium began with Liverpool coming out aggressively, quickly taking control. In the 4th minute, two summer signings combined as Florian Wirtz delivered a brilliant pass to Hugo Ekitike, who unleashed a powerful strike from outside the box to put Liverpool 1-0 ahead.
Crystal Palace responded swiftly, threatening the Reds’ goal with dangerous counterattacks.
In the 17th minute, Ismaïla Sarr was brought down in the box by Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, earning Palace a penalty. Jean-Philippe Mateta converted from the spot to level the score. Just four minutes later, Jeremie Frimpong’s cross, part pass, part shot, sailed straight into the top corner, leaving Palace keeper Dean Henderson helpless as Liverpool regained a 2-1 lead.
Sarr Strikes Again to Level the Score
In the second half, Palace showed remarkable resilience, defending solidly while waiting for the right moment to counter.
In the 77th minute, they won the ball and launched a quick break, with Sarr latching onto a through ball from Adam Wharton before calmly slotting it home to make it 2-2. With no further goals, the match went straight to a penalty shootout.
Penalty Shootout Drama: Palace Come Out on Top
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah stepped up first but blasted his penalty over the bar. Henderson then turned hero for Palace, saving spot-kicks from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott.
Palace converted three of their five attempts, ultimately winning 5-4 on aggregate to lift their first Community Shield trophy.
Two Titles in Three Months, Palace on the Rise
This marked Crystal Palace’s second trophy in just three months, having also beaten Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Palace’s consecutive victories over two of England’s biggest clubs demonstrate their formidable presence.
As for Liverpool, despite their heavy summer spending, the team still needs time to gel if they are to navigate the more formidable challenges ahead in their bid to defend the Premier League title.
