Eberechi Eze struck early to inflict Liverpool’s first home league defeat since 2022 and deliver a major blow to Jurgen Klopp’s dream of leaving with the Premier League title.

Eze capitalised on Liverpool’s recent record of slow starts to convert after 14 minutes and Palace withstood a home barrage for the remainder of the afternoon.

Wataru Endo struck the woodwork, Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones missed gilt-edged chances and Eagles goalkeeper Dean Henderson saved brilliantly from Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah.

It wasn’t the reaction Jurgen Klopp wanted following Thursday’s 3-0 home defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League.

Liverpool stay two points behind Manchester City in the title race with Arsenal playing later on Sunday.

Palace became the first Premier League side to win at Anfield since Leeds in October 2022 and are now virtually guaranteed top-flight football for another season.

Respects were paid before kick-off to the 97 Liverpool supporters who died in the Hillsborough tragedy 35 years ago this weekend.

A minute’s perfectly-observed silence was accompanied by the message “Never Forgotten” displayed on all the pitchside hoardings.

There was welcome teams news for both sides. Liverpool included goalkeeper Alisson Becker since he suffered a hamstring injury in February while Crystal Palace’s dangerous forward Michael Olise returned for his first start since January, also the result of hamstring issues.

Alisson might have been grateful for having an early touch of the ball when Eberechi Eze’s low effort comfortably rolled into his hands in the opening minutes.

Liverpool responded with a clip towards goal from Darwin Nunez that Dean Henderson plucked out the air.

Nunez is a cult hero among Koppites and his attempt encouraged the support looking for a response from Thursday’s 3-0 home defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League.

Unfortunately for them however, it was the visitors who struck first at Anfield – yet again.

Tyrick Mitchell, playing as a left wing-back, benefitted from a spell of Palace possession to advance into Liverpool’s final third.

Once in a dangerous position, he had the composure to pull back for Eze who had enough time and space to sidefoot comfortably past Alisson for his seventh goal of the season.

For Liverpool, it was a disaster. Mitchell’s pass went through the legs of the sliding Endo and Ibrahima Konate couldn’t change direction quickly enough to put any pressure on Eze.

Anfield was stunned, but only up to a point. It was the fourth time in Liverpool’s last five league games in which they’ve conceded first.

Fortunately, for Klopp his side have also shown the character to recover 27 points from losing positions – an incredible statistic.

But it almost got worse before it got better. Virgil van Dijk’s slip on the halfway line left Jean-Philippe Mateta able to storm forward with only Alisson to beat.

He dinked the goalkeeper and it looked certain to be 2-0 until Robertson showed terrific speed and awareness to sprint back and hook the ball away when half of it had already crossed the line.

It took Liverpool a period to recover. Their first serious opportunity arrived shortly before the half-hour mark when a goalmouth scramble following a corner saw Wataru Endo strike the crossbar.

Luis Diaz was then denied a spectacular scissor kick goal by an excellent stop from Henderson with the Colombian responding by gesturing to fans to ramp up the atmosphere.

Salah tried to respond with a trademark cut inside and rasping shot that Henderson parried away. Mac Allister was fouled on the edge of the box by Jefferson Lerma but thundered the free-kick into a sturdy Palace wall.

Anxiety levels grew. Careless play from Endo and then Ibrahima Konate sparked a Palace breakaway with skipper Virgil van Dijk doing well to block Michael Olise’s shot. Mateta then sent a header over.

In the technical area, Palace boss Oliver Glasner looked delighted with his side’s showing after a run of five league games without a win.

Klopp withdrew Endo for Dominik Szoboszlai at half-time and was forced into another change three minutes into the restart when Conor Bradley hobbled off.

The replacement got a particularly big cheer – Trent Alexander-Arnold introduced for his first action since mid-February due to a knee injury.

Henderson made another fabulous save after 54 minutes.

Van Dijk got his head to a Liverpool corner and Nunez put real power behind his finish, the Palace goalkeeper instinctively putting out a leg to block.

Alexander-Arnold stationed himself in midfield more than as an orthodox right-back as Liverpool tried to turn the screw in their search for an equaliser.

His first sight of goal ended up with a shot too high from Salah’s lay-off but the momentum did appear to be building.

Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo were thrown into action for the final quarter with Diaz and Nunez making way.

There were groans when Curtis Jones didn’t pull the trigger as the ball fizzed past him in the penalty area. Palace skipper Joachim Andersen needed to make a risky clearance from underneath his own crossbar when Szoboszlai fired in another cross.

The whistles started for Henderson as he started to take time on his goal-kicks. Incredibly, Jota then failed to convert from eight yards when his finish hit Nathaniel Clyne – who was a Liverpool player for five years before returning to Palace.

Mateta was foiled at close range by Alisson as the game developed into a basketball game. There were gasps after 76 minutes when Jones was played in by Gakpo and missed the target.

Salah hopped up and down in frustration perhaps feeling he should have received a pass instead.

With the finishing line in sight, Palace took more than 60 seconds to carry out a triple substitution, much to the annoyance of the home fans, and Alexander-Arnold who ran to the touchline to complain about the pace of change.

Liverpool’s final substitute Harvey Elliott was denied late on by the left glove of Henderson whose performance should interest Gareth Southgate regarding the England squad this summer. Even in seven minutes of injury-time, Liverpool were frustrated with Salah’s shot from four yards blocked by Mitchell.

For Klopp, the last knockings of his Anfield career look set to be among his most challenging.