Arne Slot looked devastated at full-time after losing at Wembley for a second time as Liverpool boss, but he may take solace in a quirky fact that should be called the Curse of the Community Shield.
Since 2011, the winners of the curtain raiser have gone on to lift the Premier League title just once. So in many ways, the Liverpool head coach should take comfort that they have avoided that omen after Crystal Palace won for a third time at the national stadium this year.
It came after a penalty shoot-out that made the stinking spot-kicks in England Women’s European Championship quarter final look impressive. Mohamed Salah nearly cleared the Wembley arch with his and the others were feeble to say the least.
But goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who saved two penalties, cared little as he led his team down to the far end to dance along as the Holmesdale Fanatics jumped around singing Glad All Over and their new terrace favourite, ‘f*** UEFA and f*** (Evangelos) Marinakis’.
That is a nod to a meeting this week that holds far more long-term significance than lifting this piece of silverware, when Palace will discover the outcome of their appeal into UEFA’s decision to demote them from the Europa League due to breaching rules on multi-club ownership.
But while the authorities try to strip the joy out of football in the courts, the Palace fans in attendance toasted to yet another historic day for the club. It certainly will not top beating Manchester City to win the FA Cup, but lifting silverware is always memorable.
Crystal Palace won the Community Shield after beating Liverpool on penalties
Mohamed Salah saw his effort saved while Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott also missed
Dean Henderson was the hero for Palace, saving two spot-kicks to secure them the trophy
And they deserved the win, too – just about. It was a tight game in regular time, finishing 2-2 after Palace twice pinned back the Premier League champions. Jean-Philippe Mateta and the effervescent Ismaila Sarr scored to cancel out goals from Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong.
Then from 12 yards, Oliver Glasner’s team were just better. Henderson, sporting a cap that made him look like a New York Yankees player, thwarted weak attempts from Alexis Mac Allister and Harvey Elliott, while Salah fired his effort violently high and wide.
Mateta, Sarr and young Scotsman Justin Devenny, on the other hand, were on point with their spot-kicks to win the shoot-out despite a ridiculous run-up and finish from Eberechi Eze before Borna Sosa rattled the crossbar.
As for Liverpool, there were positives to take from this game which they will class as a pre-season warm-up – remember, as the saying goes, the Community Shield is a trophy if you win it, a friendly if you lose.
Those reasons to be cheerful came from the vibrant debutants Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Frimpong, who linked up like they had been playing together for years. But there were also reasons to be fearful for the champions ahead of their first league outing on Friday night.
They can be excused for the fact they looked tired and leggy – but the fact their defence was so open and the ever-reliable Virgil van Dijk looked off the boil will cause anxiety in the mind of Slot and fans with just days remaining until the big kick-off. Work to do for sure.
The match started in awkward and disappointing fashion as a small but loud minority of Crystal Palace fans ruined the planned minute’s silence for the late Diogo Jota and brother Andre Silva by chanting over it.
It was disgusting behaviour that let their fanbase, 99 per cent of whom acted with respect, down.
Liverpool raced into an early lead at Wembley, Hugo Ekitike sweeping home after four minutes
Fellow summer arrival Jeremie Frimpong put the Reds back in front in bizarre fashion
A penalty for Jean-Philippe Mateta restored parity following a foul from Virgil van Dijk
Ismaila Sarr broke clear of Van Dijk late on to tuck past Alisson and send the game the distance
Those thugs were soon silenced when Liverpool found themselves ahead after just four minutes through debutant Ekitike. The new boy got the ball in a tight area, played a neat give-and-go with Wirtz and found the net from 18 yards with an exquisite finish.
France striker Ekitike was signed not just for his goal-scoring but all-round link-up play and he showed both here. With all due respect to Darwin Nunez, who joined Al Hilal for £46million this week, his successor as the Reds No 9 already looks quite the upgrade.
Shortly after, the travelling Kop were belting out his name, ‘Hugo, Hugo, Hugo!’ to the tune of the old chant for Nunez. It is fair to say those fans have forgotten about Nunez – and their new toy is all the rage.
The 23-year-old continued to cause problems and enjoyed his battle with Marc Guehi, the Palace captain who could well end up at Liverpool by the end of the month. Ekitike’s fast link-up play with Wirtz made it feel like the duo had been playing together for years, not a fortnight.
But for all the promising signs in an attacking sense for Liverpool, the defence looked a tad wobbly. Palace equalised on 15 minutes after some nice play but the goal was wholly preventable for Arne Slot’s men.
Eze poked Mateta clean through on goal – one ball bypassed the whole Liverpool back line – and he was thwarted by some smart goalkeeping from Alisson. But Sarr retrieved the loose ball, shimmied across the penalty area and invited a foul.
Van Dijk dangled a leg and Sarr duly obliged to trip over it. Mateta stepped up to take the spot-kick and confidently dispatched, passing to Alisson’s left.
The FA Cup winners had parity for a matter of minutes, though, as Liverpool were soon back ahead through Frimpong, another new summer signing. The Dutchman propped up a cross that was slightly misjudged – but it ended up fooling goalkeeper Henderson.
Ekitike managed to pick out the bottom corner with this expert finish on his competitive debut
Frimpong’s searching cross from the right somehow dropped into the back of the net
Liverpool’s £116million man Florian Wirtz was handed another start
Although Frimpong might joke he meant for that outcome, it is tough to believe him. What we can credit the former Bayer Leverkusen man for is his work ethic and constant buzz he brings to that flank. The best way to describe the right back is a menace. Always causing problems.
Frimpong’s goal meant this was the first time for 19 years that two debutants had scored in the same match for the Reds. That was Craig Bellamy and Mark Gonzalez on August 9, 2006 against Maccabi Haifa. One for the quizmasters of Liverpool pubs this week, if nothing else.
The game started like a mid-season tussle – full of intrigue, drama and energy – but soon fizzled out into what it was: a glorified friendly. Both teams started to look leggy and tired, which can perhaps also be blamed on the searing heat at Wembley.
Nevertheless, this was a positive outing for both teams. Palace showed they can go toe-to-toe with the big boys – it was a relatively even affair for the most part – while Liverpool gave fans a lot of reasons to be cheerful with their scintillating build-up play.
Glasner’s men had two golden chances to equalise after the break. First, Sarr was inches away from connecting at the back post with a Mateta headed flick-on, then Eze forced Alisson into a full-stretch save. The Brazil No 1 kept his side in this contest.
But there was nothing he could do on 77 minutes when Sarr was poked through on goal by fan favourite Will Hughes and found the net with a thunderous finish from close range. Again, too many holes in the Reds defence – and Palace were level.
Then it was time for penalties. Salah set the tempo for a poor shoot-out all round by skying his first shot, then Elliott and Mac Allister were stopped by Wembley hero Henderson.
Captain Guehi lifted the Community Shield and sent the 35,000 or so Palace fans into party mode to his right, singing Glad All Over. Whether the defender stays or leaves for Liverpool this month, it feels like the Eagles are in safe hands under Glasner – and should only be looking up.
