Wembley, August 10, 2025 — **Liverpool have been confirmed to face Crystal Palace in their Community Shield clash without two defenders and Palace are missing four of their players, making this curtain-raiser one of the most unpredictable in years.
Liverpool’s Defensive Blow:
- Joe Gomez is definitely out, ruled absent due to Achilles concerns—many are calling it “a minor injury,” but it’s enough to sideline him for now .
- Conor Bradley remains a doubt, still struggling with a muscle injury and facing a tight race to be fit in time .
- Virgil van Dijk, after recovering from illness, has returned to training but remains a doubt heading into kickoff .
- Alisson Becker? He’s back in the squad after missing pre-season for personal reasons, but may not start—competition with Giorgi Mamardashvili remains on .
Crystal Palace’s Four Key Absences:
Manager Oliver Glasner confirmed they’ll be without Cheick Doucouré, Matheus França, Caleb Kporha, and Eddie Nketiah, leaving the Eagles stretched in both midfield and attack .
Match Reaction—“Unless a miracle happens…”
Fans and pundits are already echoing the sentiment around Anfield:
“I’ll be 100 % honest—I don’t see us beating Crystal Palace today. My two most trusted players, the ones who could’ve won this match for us, are out. The rest? Unreliable. I wanted to kick off the season with silverware, but looking at the situation, Crystal Palace are in a much better position to take it. It hurts to say it, but unless a miracle happens, today might not be our day.”
With Liverpool’s defense significantly weakened and uncertainty still looming over key starters, the scenario is far from encouraging. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace may be thin, but they’re in better shape and buoyed by their FA Cup triumph. The early edge? Definitely leaning toward the Eagles.
Stay tuned—this match has just begun, but already it’s shaping up to be one of the most compelling Community Shields in memory.